Monroe NY News

City of Rochester issued the following on Oct. 15

City poised to launch new crisis intervention services office; new comprehensive community response coordinator hired

The City of Rochester’s new Office of Crisis Intervention Services is gearing up to provide essential services to the Rochester community and is on target to launch in the coming months, according to Dr. Daniele Lyman-Torres, Commissioner of the Department of Recreation and Human Services. During a community input session held via Zoom today, Commissioner Lyman-Torres explained to constituents that the new office will serve as the City’s 24-hour, non-law enforcement response to homicides, mental health and domestic violence incidents, as well as other traumatic events.

Commissioner Lyman-Torres also announced that the office will be led by Alia Henton-Williams, who will serve as the new coordinator. Henton-Williams brings extensive professional experience and a deeply relevant personal history to this critical new role.

“So many people in our community are affected by mental illness, substance abuse and a variety of domestic issues,” Dr. Lyman-Torres said. “For those who suffer from these problems, finding the right kind of help can be challenging. Under Alia’s leadership, I am confident that we will be able to better serve these individuals in a manner that will get them the appropriate care they so desperately need in the safest, most effective way possible.”

The goal of the Crisis Intervention Services Office is to create a comprehensive, community-based response to support victims and families dealing with homicides, mental health, domestic violence, and other related issues.

As the City’s new Comprehensive Crisis Response Coordinator, Ms. Henton-Williams will be responsible for fulfilling the goals of the Community Comprehensive Response Plan and overseeing a staff of trauma-response professionals and community-service providers organized into four units:

• Family Crisis Intervention Team (FACIT): Provides crisis counseling to victims directly after the crisis has occurred. The team will connect clients to services, coordinate between service providers and provide follow-up case management. The FACIT team currently operates within the Rochester Police Department and will be transferred to the Department of Recreation and Human Services on Oct. 26.
• Victims Assistance Unit (VAU): Provides crisis support services after a crime, conducts home/hospital visits, works with victims to help them understand the criminal justice system, makes referrals to other agencies, provides transportation to and from court for victims and witnesses when needed, and provides filing assistance for NYS Crime Victim Compensation. These services also currently operate within the Rochester Police Department, and will be transferred to the Department of Recreation and Human Services on Oct. 26.
• The Homicide Response Team will respond in 4 – 6 member units to homicides. The teams will support family members of the victims by connecting them to support services provided by FACIT, VAU or other community-based providers. The team will also provide grief and intervention services to neighbors in an effort to prevent retaliation or continued violence. Coalition partners, including Pathways to Peace, Save Our Youth and Rise Up Rochester, have been meeting since 2018 to discuss the needs and formation of the Homicide Response Team. Training for team members has already begun, and response units are set to launch in November.
• The Crisis Response Team will respond to mental health, domestic violence and other related crises. A coordinated response to crisis calls within our community is essential to ensuring that calls for help are handled appropriately and those in crisis receive the type of care they need. Initial Emergency Response Social Workers have been hired, and an Advisory Committee is working on a pilot plan.

The life experiences of Alia Henton-Williams have given her a deeply personal connection to the work she’ll do as the new Comprehensive Crisis Response Coordinator.  Her career path as a supporter and advocate for those touched by violence began as a young adult, after her 16-year-old brother, Ralik, was fatally shot in 1992.  Ralik, on his way home from church, was caught in a crossfire between rival gangs and died with his Bible in his hand. The pain of that experience was compounded in 2018, when her 52-year-old sister, Tracey Henton Williams, was stabbed during a domestic violence incident and left to die on the side of the road. Ms. Henton-Williams now has 28 years of experience in crisis response and trauma counseling, and has previously served in key roles at Hillside Work Scholarship Connection, United Way of Greater Rochester, Camp Good Days and Special Times, and in schools in both Monroe and Wayne Counties.

Original source can be found here