Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy today announced a new alternative mental health crisis response model in partnership with Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Albany County Legislator Matthew Peter and Albany Common Council Member Gabriella Romero. The new pilot program is an eight-week collaboration between Albany County’s Mental Health Department and the City of Albany Police Department designed to assess the needs of mentally ill, addicted and unhoused individuals in the Lark Street neighborhood of Albany. The assessment will help determine the path forward and how this kind of targeted street-level interventions can be utilized in the future. 

The focus area of the pilot program will be the length of Lark Street between Madison Avenue and Washington Avenue and the contiguous cross streets. The new policy initiative is slated to begin Monday, April 10 and run through the week of May 29. During this time, a police officer will be paired with a mental health social worker, who will coordinate their efforts twice each week to observe and assess conditions in the area as well as respond to emerging crisis situations. At the end of that period, a report will be drafted which will outline findings and recommendations for future action that is supported by the Albany County Executive’s Office, the City of Albany Mayor’s Office and members of the Albany County Legislature and the Albany Common Council.

“Albany County has continually demonstrated its resolve for treating mental health challenges rather than simply incarcerating individuals in need of assistance, and we’ve done that through ACCORD, LEAD, the Mobile Crisis Team and more. Today we continue that commitment through the launch of the innovative Lark Street Treatment pilot program, as we explore additional avenues to connect residents with needed support services,” said Albany County Executive McCoy. “As with our other alternative crisis response models, we know that providing law enforcement with the knowledge and support from mental health experts only strengthens community relationships, improves outcomes and leaves everyone safer.”

"Often times, our police officers are called to respond to those in crisis, who then must connect with mental health professionals to help. This partnership will change that model and bring mental health professionals directly to those in crisis alongside our police officers so we can proactively help those in need where they are in real-time. I commend County Executive McCoy, County Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Giordano, and the team at the Albany County Department of Mental Health for collaborating with the Albany Police Department and piloting this innovative program on Lark Street. I also thank County Legislator Matthew Peter and Councilmember Gabriella Romero for their advocacy to help make this program possible,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. 

“Having mental health professionals deal with mental health crises provides better outcomes for individuals and communities while allowing law enforcement to focus on public safety,” said Albany County Legislator Matthew Peter. “This initiative between the Albany County Department of Mental Health and the City of Albany Police Department is the first step in making an important paradigm shift and also preparing for the possible expansion of ACCORD into the City of Albany. Thank you to County Executive McCoy, Mayor Sheehan, Legislative Chairman Andrew Joyce, Councilmember Gabriella Romero, the Department of Mental Health and the Albany Police Department for their support, partnership and advocacy.”

“I am thrilled to be bringing the Lark Street Treatment pilot program to Albany’s 6th Ward, and I applaud my partners in government – County Executive McCoy, Mayor Sheehan, and County Legislator Peter,” stated Councilmember Gabriella Romero. “It is vital that we move towards a model of public safety that provides resources and care for the most vulnerable people in our city. This program will help people in the Lark Street corridor that struggle with mental health issues, housing insecurity, and substance abuse by placing an Albany County mental health social worker in the community.”

“Albany police officers often have contact with individuals in our community who are in need of mental health care or other vital services,” said Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins. “The Lark Street Treatment pilot program is an innovative way for police officers and mental health professionals to team up and identify those who are in crisis and ensure that they get the necessary help that they need. We’re excited to partner with Albany County Mental Health on this initiative and look forward to its success as we move forward. I’d like to thank Albany County Executive McCoy, Albany Mayor Sheehan, Albany County Legislator Peter and City of Albany Council Member Romero for their leadership on this issue and for their unwavering commitment to enhancing public safety and quality of life in our community.”

Albany County has been innovative in its approach to new alternative crisis response models over the years. In 2012, Albany County created its Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training, a nationally and internationally recognized curriculum that provides law enforcement with an in-depth understanding of mental health issues and how to improve interactions with individuals experiencing mental health crises. Through biannual trainings, Albany County has now trained nearly 450 individuals to date from various local and regional police departments, campus security and other organizations. 

More recently, Albany County launched a separate alternative crisis response pilot in June of 2021 – the Albany County Crisis Officials Responding and Diverting (ACCORD) program. This collaboration between Albany County 9-1-1 dispatch and county social workers helps to improve outcomes for nonviolent emergency calls. ACCORD ensures that law enforcement is able to focus on violent crime while the County’s Mobile Crisis Team and paramedics from the Sheriff’s Office are able to deescalate mental health crises and other emergency situations.