Westchester County in New York is establishing a network of mobile crisis response teams to address mental and behavioral health emergencies. A recent state law has been enacted to facilitate the rapid deployment of these teams to crisis scenes, allowing them to use flashing green lights on their vehicles.
The initiative is part of broader police reform efforts, aiming to replace law enforcement responses to mental health crises with trained mental and behavioral health professionals. Joe Glazer from the county’s Department of Community Mental Health emphasized the importance of swift responses, stating that individuals in crisis should be assisted by professionals with the appropriate training.
Under the new law, crisis team members can use flashing green lights in their vehicles to alert other drivers when en route to a mental or behavioral health emergency. The move is crucial in ensuring timely responses to health crises, where seconds can make a significant difference. State Senator Pete Harckham likened crisis responders to EMS technicians, emphasizing the importance of swift action during health emergencies.
While some EMS volunteers are already permitted to use flashing green lights, this law extends the privilege to mental health crisis responders. Glazer clarified that these lights are a courtesy signal, indicating the need for expedited travel without demanding the right of way. Unlike red lights on police and fire vehicles, drivers are not obligated to yield to flashing green lights, but it is strongly encouraged.
The law, effective from May onwards, was championed by Westchester County but is applicable statewide as more regions implement mental health crisis response teams. The goal is to create a more efficient and specialized approach to handling mental health emergencies across the state.