Ryan Smith, Director of the Durham Community Safety Department, and Sammetta Cutler, a Peer Support Specialist, dive into the innovative HART program. They discuss the urgent need for alternative response teams to tackle crises involving mental illness, homelessness, and addiction. Smith and Cutler reflect on the challenges of linking individuals in distress to long-term care. They emphasize the importance of compassionate intervention and advocate for integrating personal stories into policy discussions to effect change in community safety and support systems.
