January 31st, 2024 

NEW YORK – Today, the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) released a new data brief showing that B-HEARD, the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, pilot program responded to over 5,000 calls from January to June 2023. This is the largest number of B-HEARD responses to occur within a six-month period during the program’s first two-years of operation. During the program’s operating hours from January 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023, there were 20,692 mental health 911 calls in the pilot area, and B-HEARD teams responded to about 25% (or 5,095) of those calls – an increase from the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2023 where the B-HEARD teams responded to about 15% of total 911 mental health calls. Of the individuals who received a behavioral health assessment, 42% were provided with connections to community-based behavioral health services. 

“This work would not be possible without the strong and enduring partnership between FDNY, NYC Health + Hospitals, NYPD, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and my office,” said Eva Wong, Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health Executive Director. “B-HEARD has served as a valuable apparatus to reshape the way we address behavior health crises with public health solutions. We are moving away from an over-reliance on law enforcement as a response to mental health emergencies and bringing needs-focused mental health support to New Yorkers during their most vulnerable moments, which ultimately can have a lasting positive impact on their journey towards recovery.” 

Highlights from the latest B-HEARD data brief covering the third and fourth quarters of Fiscal Year 2023: 

• More and more people are able to get a B-HEARD response when they call 911 for a mental health crisis.  The latest data brief shows that the program has made steady progress in: (1) responding to a higher percentage of total mental health 911 calls since launch, (2) increasing the number of calls determined to be eligible for a B-HEARD response, and (3) responding to more calls that meet B-HEARD eligibility criteria by allowing teams to go to a broader range of 911 mental health calls.

• During the operational hours of the program (16 hours a day) in 25 precincts from January 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023: 
• • • There were 20,692 mental health 911 calls in the pilot area and B-HEARD teams responded to about 25% (or 5,095) of those calls. This is an increase from the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2023 where the B-HEARD teams responded to about 15% of total 911 mental health calls. 
    • Of the total mental health 911 calls, 45% (or 9,253) were determined to be eligible calls in the pilot area and B-HEARD teams responded to about 55% (or 5,095) of those eligible calls. This is an increase from the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2023 where the B-HEARD teams responded to about 53% of eligible 911 mental health calls. 

• New Yorkers have access to more community-based options for mental healthcare that previously did not exist prior to B-HEARD coming online. With B-HEARD, individuals can be treated by a mental health clinician right at the location where the mental health crisis occurred, regardless of where they are located.  

• • • The new data shows that during the first six months of 2023, B-HEARD successfully served 42% of individuals assessed by a mental health clinician and provided care to them in the community. We know that often times staying in the community to receive care means being able to avoid an unnecessary transport to a hospital emergency room. Of those 42% of individuals who received care in the community, 36% were assisted on-site and 6% were transported to a community-based location. Before B-HEARD, transportation to an emergency department was the only option for mental health treatment available through the New York City Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services (FDNY EMS). 
    • The new data also shows the percentage of individuals served by B-HEARD who were transported to a hospital increased from 50% in the first and second quarter of Fiscal Year 2023 to 58% in the third and fourth quarter. The increase in percentage could be attributed to various factors, such as the nature of crises, or available community resources/alternatives in that community. It is worth noting that the lack of same day resources throughout the city is a limiting factor, particularly if medication is needed.
    • Based on data provided by the New York City Health Department in January 2022, only 17% of 356 outpatient programs accepted immediate referrals or walk-ins, with an additional 9% of programs able to accept patients within one week. Nearly 10% of the outpatient programs had a waitlist of 6 to 28 weeks.  

New York City’s Efforts to Send B-HEARD Teams to More 911 Mental Health Calls 

Due to increasing 911 call volume as well as a need for more EMS call-takers, many mental health calls do not receive the additional triage needed to determine eligibility for B-HEARD. 

The city is working to address these challenges through a number of strategies, including hiring more EMS 911 call-takers in Fiscal Year 2024.   

The city also instituted new protocols that allow B-HEARD teams to respond to a broader range of mental health calls. With these new protocols, more calls are being identified as eligible for a B-HEARD response and the B-HEARD teams are responding to a higher percentage of mental health 911 calls. 

To maximize the opportunities for community members to receive a B-HEARD response, teams can now respond to calls assigned to NYPD and/or EMS where eligibility for a B-HEARD response may not have been established yet during the call triaging process. In the meantime, B-HEARD teams continue to be sent to respond to calls triaged as not having violence or a weapon as primary responders without NYPD. In calls where B-HEARD, NYPD, and/or EMS are dispatched, once it is determined that the call is appropriate for a B-HEARD response, the team can take over engagement with the individual, while NYPD and/or EMS is relieved and departs from the scene.   

This approach resulted in teams responding to more calls. The city will continue to monitor this new approach closely and gather information to inform how we implement future system-wide changes.  

“In the two years since the B- HEARD program has been operating, the FDNY has been able to train every member of EMS in de-escalation and the specialized skills required to handle mental health calls,” said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “The program has allowed our members to more readily handle all types of crisis calls, and therefore improve our responses to needy New Yorkers. We join our city partners in being proud of all the initiative has been able to accomplish since its start, including better 911 system coordination, and adding a specialized level of care to New Yorkers.” 

“B-HEARD reflects the importance of providing individuals in a mental health emergency with the care that they need, when they need it, in the communities where they live,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Co-Deputy Chief Medical Officer and System Chief of Behavioral Health Omar Fattal, MD, MPH. “As the program has expanded, it has continued to adapt to the needs of our city. We continue to reach more New Yorkers and see improved outcomes for individuals, keeping them from unnecessary visits to the hospital and connecting them with services in their own neighborhoods.” 

“Every day, in every borough, our men and women in uniform respond to calls for service involving New Yorkers in the midst of mental health crisis,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “I am proud of the NYPD’s tremendous efforts in the burgeoning success of the B-HEARD initiative, and I look forward to our continuing role in this valuable joint partnership.” 

“Improving our approach to mental health crisis response is an important step to supporting New Yorkers with mental illness,” said Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Executive Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Mental Hygiene, Deepa Avula. “With the increase in B-HEARD responses, more people in crisis are receiving emergency support that is responsive to their needs and connecting to broader systems of care. We are grateful to our partners in government, on the frontline, and on the ground in community-based programs.” 

Click here for the latest B-HEARD data brief covering the third and fourth quarters of Fiscal Year 2023 

B-HEARD recently expanded to six precincts in the Bronx in October 2023, making the Bronx the first borough fully covered by B-HEARD.  The additional precincts (43, 45, 47, 49, 50, 52) are not reflected in the data brief published today.  

Within the first two years of operation, B-HEARD has expanded from three high-need precincts in East Harlem to thirty-one precincts spanning four boroughs. These precincts are: 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 73, 75, 63, 67, 69, 71, 104, 108, 110, 112, 114, 115. 

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About B-HEARD  

B-HEARD, the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, is an interagency collaboration between the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and NYC Health + Hospitals with oversight from the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH). B-HEARD partners EMTs/Paramedics and mental health clinicians to respond as a team to 911 mental health calls that do not have violence or weapons as the primary concern. The teams work with individuals to understand their needs, de-escalate, and, whenever possible, speak with their family members and the individual’s current clinician to determine the best path forward. Each B-HEARD response reflects New York City’s commitment to providing people experiencing a mental health crisis with the most appropriate care by pairing mental health clinicians with EMTs for the first time ever. The goal of the program is to connect individuals to the best level of care for their needs and reduce unnecessary use of the emergency department and police resources.  

About the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health  

The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) is committed to improving mental health outcomes for all New Yorkers and ensuring that more people can get the mental health support they need to live healthy and content lives.  

We advance our goals by coordinating the development of citywide policies and strategies to fill critical gaps in mental healthcare. OCMH works with City agencies to reduce barriers to mental health care for marginalized communities. Our priorities are rooted in equity, racial justice, and cultural responsiveness. We adopt a community-centered and strength-based approach that recognizes diverse perspectives, lived experiences, resilience, and the unique needs of New Yorkers.