Public health and emergency response systems are rethinking how communities receive help during moments of crisis, increasingly turning to programs that deploy non‑police first responders. In this Keynote, Dr. Todd Olmstead from Cornell’s Department of Public & Ecosystem Health will lead a conversation with experts Daut’e Martin, Rebecca Mironko, and Gabriela Solis Torres to explore alternative response programs and unpack what we’re learning from emerging evaluations.
This discussion will break down the basics of alternative response models, including who staffs them, how calls are triaged, and where programs sit organizationally. Our panel will highlight national trends, share insights from crisis response mapping efforts, and review evaluation findings on outcomes such as arrests, emergency department utilization, time on scene, and connections to care.
We will also examine implementation challenges, funding considerations, research needs, and practical guidance for communities interested in launching new programs. Whether you work in public health, emergency response, behavioral health, or policy, this session will provide a grounded, evidence-informed look at where alternative response programs stand today and where they are headed next.
