Frequently Asked Questions

Daniel’s Law provides a pathway for true community safety by connecting people in crisis with the services and supports they truly need. Daniel’s Law will provide 24/7 crisis response units consisting of trained mental health workers, peers and EMTs to respond to people in crisis. These crisis response units will become the default response to people experiencing mental health or substance use crises.

Law enforcement's primary duty is to support public safety. Daniel's Law applies a successful, tested, and evidence-based model to ensure we respond to people in crisis with methods that actually produce greater public safety - for individuals, bystanders, and police. That means changing the way we've been doing business for far too long - by over-relying on police as first responders to situations for which they have no training or support - and centering crisis response teams trained to navigate precisely these situations.

The role of police has expanded to be a catch all for all social problems. Daniel’s Law allows police to focus on the various roles that they’re equipped to do. Health care workers are best equipped to address mental health crises and Daniel’s law empowers them to become first responders to these situations, to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Unfortunately we’re dealing with far too many tragedies when police are first responders to people in crisis. Daniel Prude did not have to die, and that death occurred because Daniel Prude was treated like a threat, instead of someone in need of help.

Typically, such a call involving an individual who engaged in self-harm would result in a response from police and EMS. This over-response is rarely necessary. It can also be costly and intimidating for the patient. They are not criminals, and their wounds may simply require basic first aid in the field and referral to follow up services. We’ve learned from the CAHOOTS model that individuals engaged in self harm can successfully be supported by a crisis response team including an EMT and peer.

If a person poses imminent danger or public safety risk the crisis team is able to call police for back up. Through the CAHOOTS model, we know that less than 1% of all cases result in police calling for backup. Though possible, this will be a rare situation that crisis workers will be trained to handle and encouraged to reach out for support if they deem it necessary.

We’re at a historical time with the implementation of 988. Through the passage of 988 we’ve already agreed that we need an alternative to 911 and police responses for people in crisis.

The new 988 number recognizes that there are people who need and want alternatives to police responses when they’re in crisis. Daniel’s law builds on that and allows people in crisis to access a crisis response team through calling 988.

People can access a crisis response team by calling 911, 988, 211, 311 or any other helpline available across NY State.

Many efforts to train police across the country have been unsuccessful. Police are trained to have a mentality that sees danger at every twist and turn, and are working with guns, handcuffs, tasers, and spit hoods - tools that aren’t used in health care settings and supportive institutions. They’re ill equipped to respond to public health issues.

Mental health workers and EMTs have the necessary tools and training to provide care to people in crisis. They operate from a mindset that allows them to focus on providing the best care possible to people who call for help. Their training is grounded in public health, empathy, and a dedication to doing no harm, giving them the tools to provide adequate support .

Another example of why training doesn’t work is reflected in the case of William Henley, a Buffalo resident experiencing a mental health crisis. He was shot by a trained, CIT-Certified police officer.

To be clear, we are ALREADY paying the costs of a public health crisis - in overflowing jails used as mental health facilities; burdens on law enforcement responders, and a failure to connect people in crisis with the services and supports they need. Without directly investing in mental health as a public health matter, we have no plan for stopping this burgeoning mental health crisis- and we will continue to pay for the consequences of mental health crises on the back end - by funding jails and police, a much more expensive route.

Without direct investment in front-end mental health services, we have no plan to change this repeat cycle of trauma and drain on public resources. Daniel’s Law provides a path to disrupt this pattern, by funding culturally competent, peer-led crisis response services and ensuring that people receive appropriate follow up care. Additionally, saving one single life is always worthwhile - Daniel’s law will significantly reduce dangerous encounters of people in crisis with police, therefore preventing death. We know that 1 in 4 people killed by police have a mental health disability.