New Haven to expand Elm City Compass service hours, staffing

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — City leaders plan to announce the expansion of the “Elm City Compass” soon.

Mayor Justin Elicker and other city leaders were expected to announce the expansion at 1 p.m. Monday, but the event was postponed to a to-be-determined day.

The expansion will affect service hours and staffing for the program, which stands for “compassionate allies serving our streets.”

The program aims to support the work of police, fire, and EMS by responding to 911 calls and using a trauma-informed approach.

These emergency response teams are not armed and they include a licensed social worker, as well as a peer recovery support specialist.

As the program enters its third year, teams will be deployed daily from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., 19 hours per day. That’s up from eight hours a day when the program launched in 2022.

Two teams will now be deployed during peak evening service hours, as opposed to the previous one.

City leaders say Elm City Compass has completed over 1,600 responses to individuals in crisis since the initiative launched and they hope this expansion increases that number even more.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.