NYC Announces Major Restructuring of B-HEARD Mental Health Response Program

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced a significant restructuring of the B-HEARD program, a pioneering non-police initiative dedicated to handling 911 mental health emergency calls. The main goal of this adjustment is to reallocate Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) from these specialized teams, enabling them to focus more on other critical emergency services, thereby improving overall citywide response times for urgent emergencies.

This strategic shift aims to streamline resources and enhance efficiency within the city’s emergency services infrastructure, while ensuring that mental health emergencies continue to receive timely and appropriate care. Launched in 2021 under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, B-HEARD was created in response to a series of tragic incidents in which individuals experiencing mental health crises lost their lives during police interventions. The program represented a pivotal step toward offering a humane, non-confrontational alternative for mental health support.

NYC B-HEARD Program to Shift Fully Under Health and Hospitals Oversight

Currently, B-HEARD teams consist of social workers employed by NYC Health and Hospitals and EMTs from the FDNY. These integrated teams respond to individuals experiencing mental health crises, provided the 911 call operator determines there is no imminent danger to the person or others. This collaborative model has been the cornerstone of the program since its inception.

Under Mayor Adams’ new plan, expected to launch in Spring 2026, the B-HEARD model will operate entirely under NYC Health and Hospitals. This means FDNY EMTs will no longer be part of these specialized mental health response units. Instead, the restructured teams will include a nurse, an ambulance driver, and a social worker, all employed by NYC Health and Hospitals. Adams stated that this new model will allow FDNY EMTs to dedicate their focus to other emergency response units, significantly improving citywide ambulance response times and resource allocation.

The announcement comes as Mayor-elect Zehran Madani prepares to take office. During his campaign, Madani expressed strong commitment to substantially expanding B-HEARD and implementing his own program modifications. His broader vision includes further reducing police involvement in the city’s mental health response system. While Madani has not yet commented on the alignment of Adams’ plan with his proposals, the shared goal of strengthening B-HEARD remains a common objective between both administrations.

Key challenges highlighted by Dr. Mitchell Katz, CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals, include the difficulty of recruiting sufficient EMTs, which has hindered the program’s expansion. While a shortage of social workers was previously a major barrier, city officials now indicate this is no longer a significant issue. The planned adjustments are expected to facilitate the program’s expansion, according to William Fowler, City Hall spokesperson. Fowler also noted that these changes will not affect Madani’s proposal to integrate B-HEARD into a planned Community Safety Department.

NYC B-HEARD Program Eyes Peer Staffing and Citywide Expansion

Notably, there are differences in proposed staffing models. Mayor-elect Madani has called for employing trained peers in B-HEARD teams—individuals with personal experience with mental health challenges. Various mental health advocates have supported this approach for years.

Dr. Katz has expressed openness to integrating peers into the teams, even suggesting they could serve as drivers, although discussions with Madani’s team about these planned changes have not yet occurred. Madani also intends to expand the program to ensure at least one B-HEARD team in every neighborhood, with additional teams deployed to higher-demand areas.

Since its launch in 2021 through June of this year, B-HEARD teams have responded to nearly 35,000 mental health calls. Despite these efforts, a May audit by the City Comptroller’s Office revealed that the program still misses a significant number of eligible calls due to limited operational capacity.

Currently, B-HEARD operates 16 hours a day in 31 of the city’s 78 police precincts, covering areas such as the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, Central Brooklyn, and Northeast Queens. Ongoing efforts to improve and expand this vital program underscore the city’s commitment to providing effective and compassionate responses to mental health emergencies.