The City of Ithaca is launching a three-year pilot program called the ROOTS team to respond to non-violent crises and behavioral health concerns in collaboration with police and community partners.
ITHACA, N.Y. — The City of Ithaca is launching a new public safety initiative aimed at responding to non-violent crises and behavioral health concerns in the community.
The program, known as the Responders Offering Outreach, Trust and Support team, or ROOTS, will assist law enforcement during certain non-violent situations. City officials said the multidisciplinary team will be trained to address behavioral health and quality-of-life issues and may be dispatched through 911, requested by the Ithaca Police Department, or engage directly when they encounter someone in need.
ROOTS will operate in collaboration with the police department, the Crisis Alternative Response and Engagement mental health responder team, and other outreach programs across the city. Officials said the initiative will be funded using existing municipal resources and is intended to strengthen coordination among departments. The pilot program will run for three years, with community feedback, data collection, and ongoing evaluation guiding any future changes or potential expansion.
