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Training for B-HEARD responders: Social workers and EMTs

2:05:36

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Council Member Mercedes Narcisse inquires about the training provided to social workers and EMT paramedics in the B-HEARD program, specifically regarding de-escalation tactics and clinical skills. Jason Hansman from NYC Health and Hospitals provides a detailed response about the comprehensive 4-week joint training program.

Training covers a range of experiences needed for field responses to mental health calls
EMTs receive mental health fundamentals, while social workers get EMT fundamentals
Training includes motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, and hearing from peers with lived experiences
Social workers hired typically have extensive crisis service experience and preference is given to those with lived experience

Mercedes Narcisse

2:05:36

Council cheer is the same person.

2:05:42

My question is about who offers the training for social workers and EMT paramedics to ensure that they are giving appropriate guidance for de escalation tactics and other clinical skills required to respond to individual experiencing a crisis.

2:06:02

What specific de escalation techniques.

2:06:05

I know you've been answering some more question around there.

2:06:08

But what is what specific de escalation techniques are currently implemented by be her teams?

Gale Brewer

2:06:16

So I

Jason Hansman

2:06:17

can talk a little bit about the training.

2:06:19

So it's a 4 week training that's done jointly with EMTs and social workers, which really covers the range of experiences and training that they would need to operate out in the field responding to mental health calls.

2:06:34

So, you know, you have 2 different you have 2 different jobs coming together to work together, and we're training them together.

2:06:41

Right?

2:06:41

So the social workers are getting experience and some training on EMT fundamentals, and then the the the EMTs are getting training on mental health fundamentals.

2:06:53

So we're we're training on everything from motivational interviewing, to, you know, trauma informed care to hearing from peers that have had a response out in the field by EMS and by NYPD.

2:07:10

And so it is a it is really a comprehensive 4 week training for Again, both the EMTs and the social workers.

2:07:17

I will also note for the social workers themselves, we're hiring social workers that have extensive experience already doing crisis services.

2:07:26

So whether that is, you know, working on a mobile crisis team, working in, you know, a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program within a hospital or another mobile based trade team.

2:07:38

We're really bringing in social workers that have a lot of that crisis experience, as well as, you know, a preference for social workers that that have lived experience.

2:07:48

Right?

2:07:49

So part of our application process from the very beginning at New York City Health And Hospitals has been a preference for folks with lived So on top of kind of that that fundamental crisis experience.

Mercedes Narcisse

2:08:04

Thank you.

2:08:05

So I'm assuming it's h and h.

2:08:07

That

Jason Hansman

2:08:08

it's a combination of of h and h, and we we actually bring in some other some other providers as well.

2:08:14

Okay.

2:08:14

And areas where they can do is potentially a better job than we can do.

2:08:17

So motivational interviewing, for instance, we we do contract out for for that.

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Roles of B-HEARD responders within FDNY and H+H