The City of Cambridge recently sent a team from its Community Safety, Police, and Emergency Communications Departments to Durham, North Carolina. The goal was to get firsthand insight into how Durham’s Community Safety Department (DCSD) handles crisis responses. From January 22-24, 2024, the group took part in learning sessions about Durham’s programs, training methods, and best practices. They met with local staff, joined ride-alongs with team members, and saw how mental health professionals lead teams handling calls ranging from trespassing issues to mental health emergencies.
This trip came as Cambridge’s own Community Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) Team is putting the final touches on plans to start responding to some 9-1-1 calls this spring. DCSD leaders shared their department’s background, early obstacles they faced, growth over time, plus data on call types, response times, program use, strong partnerships with public safety agencies, and examples of their positive impact on the community.
“I was very pleased to witness how all the emergency response partners worked collaboratively behind the scenes and on scene to support their community members,” said Marie Mathieu, Assistant Director of Clinical Services with the Cambridge Community Safety Department. “There was so much respect for each other’s expertise, stepping up or back when appropriate, and even calling for assistance when necessary. Knowing how much our city cares for its members, I am so excited about the work we are doing to create a similar collaborative in Cambridge.”
Since starting in June 2022, Durham’s Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team (HEART) Program has teamed up with 911 call centers so social workers and crisis teams can handle non-emergency mental health calls. They’ve grown steadily and now cover the city every day for 12 hours straight. So far they’ve handled over 12,000 calls including things like trespassing complaints, mental health crises, welfare checks, among others.
Ryan Smith, Director of DCSD said: “I am excited for the City of Cambridge and encouraged by the thoughtful approach they are taking to designing their alternative response program. The Cambridge CARE Team is doing a lot of things that I think set us up for success here in Durham. They are building a collaborative team across public safety, and they are taking time to learn from other cities. I was impressed that they brought police and emergency communications representatives with them on their site visit. I look forward to following their progress and being part of a community of practice where we all continue to learn from one another.”
Between September and November 2023 alone the CARE Team completed 12 weeks amounting to 360 hours of training covering topics like de-escalation tactics conflict mediation harm reduction communication techniques CPR First Aid sharps disposal boundary setting first responder skills plus more. On top of classroom work CARE responders gained hands-on experience through ride-alongs with groups like First Step Pro EMS Fire Police Cambridge Community Engagement Team as well as local Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Teams. The training also featured plenty of team-building events along with meetings involving various advocacy groups organizations businesses nonprofits based right here in Cambridge.
“By leveraging the knowledge and experiences gained from this visit , I have increased confidence that Cambridge will be even more equipped to support the needs and well-being of our community members,” said Elizabeth Speakman , Director of the Community Safety Department. “The three days spent with the Durham HEART Team put our three-month training into further perspective for our responder and clinical teams.”
If you want more info about the Cambridge CARE Team or Community Safety Department check out https://www. cambridgema. gov/Departments/communitysafety email info@cambridgesafety. org or give them a call at (617) 349-7200.
