City sets public meetings for Crisis Response Team design

NEW HAVEN — The city and the Connecticut Mental Health Center will hold three “town hall” events to help shape the design and implementation of the New Haven Community Crisis Response Team, Mayor Justin Elicker said in a release.

The team “will be an additional first response unit that specializes in de-escalation, harm reduction, and providing rapid access to social services during moments of distress,” the release said. “This alternative team will be dispatched in response to 911 and non-emergency calls to address diverse issues that do not require a law enforcement presence.”

To register for a town hall event, visit https://ccrt.newhavenct.gov. The schedule is:

Oct 23: Virtual, 10:30 a.m.

Oct 26: Virtual, 6 p.m.

Oct 28: In person, 5:30 p.m. at the James Hillhouse High School cafeteria, 480 Sherman Parkway. Go to https://ccrt.newhavenct.gov/ to register or call/text 475-212-2510 or email ccrt@newhavenct.gov.

For sign language interpretation services at any of the meetings, call or text 475-212-2510 or go to ccrt@newhavenct.gov at least 72 hours before the event.

Anyone who can’t make it can submit input in any of the following ways:

Submit your ideas online at https://ccrt.newhavenct.gov.

Text or leave a voicemail at 475-212-2510. Email ccrt@newhavenct.gov.

Apply to join the Advisory Board at https://ccrt.newhavenct.gov.