Building Safer, Stronger Communities: Bringing a Community Responder Team to Erie County to Address Mental Health, Substance Use, and Other Needs

Young people with mental health and substance use disorders often end up in the punitive justice system with increased contacts with police and rates of arrest that impact their well-being and opportunities. We will continue our work to reverse this trend, by piloting a Community Responder team of “public health first responders” in Buffalo.