Mamdani Wants Social Workers Responding to 911 Calls

Newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has advocated for replacing police officers with social workers for certain emergency calls, a policy being tested by the city’s Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) pilot program. Data indicate the program currently diverts 16% of eligible mental health crisis calls to social workers, raising questions about its potential for expansion and effectiveness across the city.

Story Highlights

NYC’s B-HEARD pilot program has diverted 16% of eligible mental health crisis calls to social worker-led teams since its launch in 2021.
Mayor Mamdani continues to support the initiative and proposes a broader plan for police replacement with social workers for crisis response.
The B-HEARD program is currently limited to select neighborhoods and specific operational hours, facing challenges including staffing shortages and dispatch integration issues.
The majority of mental health crisis calls continue to require a traditional police response due to the program’s limited scope and operational capacity.

Evaluation of the B-HEARD Pilot Program

The B-HEARD pilot program, an initiative of the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, was launched in 2021 to provide a non-law enforcement response to mental health crisis calls in New York City. The program aims to send social workers and other mental health professionals instead of police officers to certain 911 calls.

NYC Health + Hospitals data indicates that the program has successfully diverted 16% of eligible mental health crisis calls. Critics of the current model cite operational challenges, including reports of severe staffing shortages and limited operational hours in only select neighborhoods, which restrict the program’s ability to respond to emergencies citywide. Integration with the city’s 911 dispatch systems has also been noted as an area for improvement.

Zohran Mamdani wants social workers responding to 911 calls — but test program is already failing https://t.co/myGRfpOfsD pic.twitter.com/CLTMxAvu8B

— New York Post (@nypost) November 13, 2025

Perspectives on Program Direction

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who was recently elected as mayor, has expressed strong support for the program and its expansion, stating that it represents a necessary reform in police operations and mental health crisis response. Mamdani’s agenda includes a proposal to revamp the New York City Police Department (NYPD) operations by increasing the role of non-law enforcement professionals in public safety.

However, the program’s current performance has led others to call for an evaluation of its fundamental flaws before any expansion is approved. Police executives have voiced concerns about operational challenges and public safety risks that arise when implementation requirements are not adequately met.

Mental health professionals largely support crisis intervention reforms but emphasize that success depends on adequate resources, proper training, and seamless integration with existing emergency infrastructure.

Comparison with Other Models

Reports on similar crisis response programs nationwide show mixed results. For instance, the CAHOOTS program in Eugene, Oregon, has been cited as a successful long-running model. However, professionals note that the effectiveness of such programs in complex urban environments like New York City depends on factors such as sustained funding, extensive development, and community-specific tailoring that may not translate directly from smaller, less complex cities.

As the city debates the future of its emergency response, the core question remains whether the B-HEARD program can overcome its current operational limitations and achieve a broader scale to meet the complex public safety needs of New York City.

Watch the report: Zohran Mamdani wants social workers for you; cops for him