Four years after its launch, Durham officials say the HEART Program has grown into a national model for community-based crisis response. Those it serves are not referred to as clients or patients, but as neighbors in need of empathy and support.
“I grew up with people in my family who had mental health and substance use challenges. Honestly, my family and I didn’t know the resources, who to call, and where to go,” said crisis response clinician Kyatta Harvey.
Harvey said her own childhood trauma led her to the HEART Program. Today, she works as a crisis response mental health clinician and describes the job as deeply personal…