Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD)
Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD)
City implementation partners: NYC Health + Hospitals and Fire Department Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
B-HEARD – the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division – is part of New York City’s commitment to treat mental health crises as public health problems – not public safety issues. For the first time in New York City’s history, teams of health professionals – including EMTs/paramedics and mental health professionals – are responding to 911 mental health calls, beginning with a pilot program in East Harlem and parts of north and central Harlem.
46%
of people assisted by B-HEARD in the first six months of operation were transported to a hospital for additional care – a much lower percentage than the traditional response, in which 87% of people were transported to a hospital.
68%
of mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits in New York City did not result in admission to the hospital, indicating that not all crises require a hospitalization and may be addressed with community-based support. (2015 NYC Mental Health Needs Assessment)
