The Fifth Branch is a special series by Tradeoffs and The Marshall Project that examines what it looks like when one community dramatically changes how it responds to people in crisis.
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Episode 1: Convincing the Cops
How do you convince police officers that it makes sense to send unarmed mental health workers to some 911 calls?
Episode 2: Keeping People Safe
How do you keep crisis responders and the people they’re helping safe? We look at HEART’s impact on the safety of Durham residents in crisis, the mental health workers responding, and the police.
Episode 3: The Last Line of Care
Alternative response teams are being asked to tackle vexing problems: mental illness, homelessness, addiction. How much can they actually do? We explore how Durham grapples with connecting people to long-term care and support, and where the city draws the line between crisis response and social services.
Read More
How Durham, North Carolina, Got Police Onboard with Unarmed Crisis Response
One of the most respected alternative response programs in the country, Durham sends unarmed mental health workers to 911 calls involving mental illness and addiction.
Sending Unarmed Responders Instead of Police: What We’ve Learned
There are more than 100 response teams nationwide, but experts say more research on their impact is needed.
Events
August 15, 2024 – Virtual
The Fifth Branch: Redefining Mental Health Crisis Response in America
Join us for a virtual discussion of the main findings from the series and to hear directly from experts in alternative crisis response about how these programs can best serve residents in the midst of a mental health crisis. Panelist Q&A to follow. Learn more and register.
October 16, 2024 – Phoneix, AZ
CrisisCon24: How Durham is Reimagining Crisis Response
A panel discussion at the 2024 National Crisis Continuum Conference, CrisisCon.
This session will explore themes from the series, how Durham got buy-in for the HEART program, how they’re keeping folks safe, and how Durham’s Community Safety Department scoped the program. Learn more and register.
Press
- Harvard Public Health Magazine: An interview with reporter Ryan Levi discussing the takeaways and reporting behind The Fifth Branch. Read more
- All Things Considered: A segment featuring excerpts from episode one of The Fifth Branch. Read more
- Side Effects Public Media: An interview with reporter Ryan Levi about alternative crisis response and The Fifth Branch. Read more
Series Credits
TRADEOFFS
- Ryan Levi, Reporter/Producer
- Dan Gorenstein, Executive Editor
- Cate Cahan, Series Editor
- Marc Maximov, Producer
- Andrew Parrella, Sound Designer
- Cedric Wilson, Assistant Sound Designer
- Kathryn Dugal, Director of Marketing and Audience
- Shannon Crane, Audience Engagement Lead
- Jessica Silverman, Executive Director
- Angela Hollowell, Photographer
THE MARSHALL PROJECT
- Christie Thompson, Staff Writer
- Manuel Torres, Senior Editor
- Nicole Lewis, Engagement Editor
- Ruth Baldwyn, Editorial Director
- Celina Fang, Senior Multimedia Editor
- Marci Suela, Multimedia Editor
- Mara Corbett, Production Coordinator
- Ghazala Irshad, Style and Standards Editor
- Ashley Dye, Audience Director
- David Eads, Data Editor
Additional thanks to everyone who made this series possible.
This project was supported in part by The Just Trust and the Sozosei Foundation.
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