The Community Response Team is a person-centered, trauma-informed mobile crisis care program serving persons in crisis on Cornell’s Ithaca campus. CRT will include both professional and paraprofessional staff, for example, a master’s-level clinician with a peer support staff person. CRT’s objective is to provide an in-person and health-centered response to non-violent 911 crisis calls and thereby reduce the need for police response. The team employs holistic healthcare expertise to de-escalate emergency situations and assist persons in crisis to navigate their way out. CRT plays a key role as the supportive interface linking persons in crisis, the Division of Public Safety, and wraparound services across Cornell and the Ithaca area.
In the event of an emergency or crisis that requires CRT assistance, CRT will be deployed via the Public Safety Communications Center. CRT can assist with a wide range of situations, from stressors related to academics to mental and behavioral health crises, and is able to provide services to students, faculty, and staff on all Cornell owned property. CRT will provide in-person assessment and support at the time of a crisis and connect individuals with appropriate community-based resources. CRT will also provide advocacy support to Cornell community members, such as being present when an individual gives a police statement or meeting with an individual following a stressful experience.
CRT routinely intersects with a number of pre-existing, well-established crisis response agencies on Cornell University’s campus. These agencies include Cornell University Police Department (CUPD), Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), and Cornell University Emergency Medical Services (CUEMS). CRT has also built relationships with campus partners including but not limited to Student and Campus Life, Housing and Residential Life, and Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS).
CRT will be engaging in community outreach across the Cornell community to increase awareness of our presence and availability on campus, build connections, and discuss the resources CRT can provide. CRT will also be present during community events to provide support and crisis services as needed.
The Community Response Team is located in Appel Commons, Room 103 and can be contacted by stopping into the office, calling the office phone at 607-253-2100, or emailing Director Angaleen Trentanelli at alt92@cornell.edu. In the event of a crisis or emergency that needs immediate assistance, individuals are encouraged to call 911 or the Public Safety Communications Center at 607-255-1111.