Ryan Patrick Smith

Director of Community Safety for the City of Durham and the HEART program, all-in for Durham, double-daughter-dad, fan of board games and books.

[Tradeoffs @tradeoffspod]

In 2021, Ryan Smith was tasked with developing a new agency to figure out how to better respond to 911 calls from people in a mental health crisis. His solution? The Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team aka HEART.

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

If you want to know the secret sauce to our success in Durham, it starts with the amazing humans, like David Prater, who respond with HEART to 911 calls. We believe lived experience and peer support are crucial to first response and our new 5th branch.

[Tradeoffs @tradeoffspod]

In Durham, NC, unarmed clinicians and social workers respond to 911 calls from people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Peer specialists like David Prater, help connect those in crisis with needed services.

Listen to David's story in The Fifth Branch https://t.co/RKQjZSVb5B

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Hope you can join for a virtual discussion with @MarshallProj of @tradeoffspod latest series on @CityofDurhamNC HEART program. Leading the amazing team that built this new branch of public safety has been the greatest joy of my professional life. Join the convo on Aug 15.

[Tradeoffs @tradeoffspod]

Join us for a virtual discussion on redefining crisis response and The Fifth Branch with @MarshallProj on August 15th.

Register now and be part of the conversation! 🗓️🔗 https://t.co/L4YEN0LMdr

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Serious, long-form journalism that takes on complex topics with nuance, integrity, and, dare I say, heart, feels increasingly rare. That's why I am so grateful to @tradeoffspod for taking the time to tell the story of @CityofDurhamNC alternative response program HEART.

[Tradeoffs @tradeoffspod]

Are unarmed crisis response teams on track to become the sea change in public safety that was promised? We talked to experts across the country to find out.

Read the latest from @cm_thompson3 of the @MarshallProj and @Ryan_levi.

https://t.co/p8d2LqAtpC

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

New service hours start tonight for @CityofDurhamNC Community Safety’s #HEART first responders! Our unarmed crisis response teams are now operating 7 days per week until 9pm. Learn more at https://t.co/NMN5On5gE0 Thanks to Kirby, David and Karly for their compassionate care!

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

@LocalProgress @PDXStResponse What is the other city you are thinking of? If @CityofDurhamNC isn’t on your list, please add us! Our community responder teams, called HEART, are run by city staff, too. We started 3 months ago and are proud to be part of a growing movement. https://t.co/LMdTV7SL90

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

The @CityofDurhamNC unarmed HEART first responders are now available 7 days a week with expanded hours (now til 7pm). Learn more about HEART and our current service area. https://t.co/2aOPlLj09i

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

I appreciate all of our first responders — including @CityofDurhamNC new HEART responders — for working holidays to a make sure we can send the right response whenever it is needed. #communitysafety

[Charlie Reece @CharlieReece]

This is amazing.

❤️💛💙 #DurhamForever

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

The @CityofDurhamNC #CommunitySafety Department is recruiting licensed clinicians and #PeerSupportSpecialists to join our #alternativeresponse teams. Be part of a new team of first responders offering compassionate care to people in crisis. Lived experience is crucial expertise.

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

The @CityofDurhamNC #CommunitySafety Department is excited to announce a groundbreaking career opportunity that holds harm reduction & human dignity as core principles. Be part of a new #alternativeresponse team of first responders offering compassionate care to people in crisis.

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Curious what alternative responses to 911 calls looks like? Join us at 10:45am tomorrow for a virtual town hall & hear from 3 cities already doing it. You can hear from & talk to Atlanta CAD, Denver STAR and San Francisco Street Response Team. Register at https://t.co/HVTUoygO7n

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Join tomorrow for the 1st of a 2-day town hall led by @CityofDurhamNC Community Safety & Wellness Taskforce. Join for any/all of it. We want to learn from you about how we can send the right response based on the needs of people in crisis. Register now: https://t.co/HVTUoygO7n

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Exciting to see so many cities exploring alternative responses to 911 calls. @CityofDurhamNC Community Safety Department is joining a national cohort of cities committed to advancing this work. Stay tuned for more in the coming year.

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

This was only possible with our amazing partners @mckinney @advncdhindsight @DurhamDiscover who have contributed so much time and talent to help Durham get #backonthebull In a crisis, the only way to get big things done is through bold collaboration. @CityofDurhamNC

[Stephanie Wade @StephAWade]

How Durham built behavioral ‘nudges’ into its reopening plans by @BloombergCities way to go #iteams Director @ryanindurham https://t.co/lEpwIh4Zc8

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

Thanks @ColuApp for the shout out. @CityofDurhamNC was actually the first place in NC to require face coverings. A fact for which we’re proud! We are just looking for non-punitive ways to encourage compliance. Hence the importance of behavioral science to get #backonthebull

[ColuApp @ColuApp]

Amazing article and execution by @ryanindurham and @CityofDurhamNC!

Not only are they helping local businesses through this effort, but also they're effectively getting their residents to wear masks WITHOUT a mask mandate! Incredibly innovative!

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

@ncIMPACTsog A6. Great state resources: @ncjustice amd @ncprobono we couldn’t have done it without them! #ncIMPACT

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

@ncIMPACTsog A6 Less a resource and more an encouragement: For NC cities, don’t limit yourself to what is in your direct discretion to change. Recognize that you can play an important role in convening the necessary leaders & partners & in funding collaborative efforts. Better together

[Ryan Patrick Smith @ryanindurham]

@ncIMPACTsog A4. (4) community intake clinics to provide safe places for residents to connect up with the program that are easy to access and do not require coming down to the courthouse. #ncIMPACT