Ideas change everything

What if mental health workers responded to emergency calls?

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Leslie Herod |

TEDxMileHigh

• December 2020

When you report an emergency in the US, police, firefighters or paramedics answer the call. What if mental health professionals responded, too? Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod shares a straightforward and research-backed approach that brings heart and humanity to criminal justice rather than unnecessary fines and arrests -- and keeps crises from escalating into traumatic, or even deadly, events.

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Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

When you report an emergency in the US, police, firefighters or paramedics answer the call. What if mental health professionals responded, too? Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod shares a straightforward and research-backed approach that brings heart and humanity to criminal justice rather than unnecessary fines and arrests -- and keeps crises from escalating into traumatic, or even deadly, events.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMileHigh, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Support your local bail fund.

Follow the work of the Caring for Denver Foundation.

Reach out to your local representatives to support implementing your own local Support Team Assisted Response program.

About the speaker

Colorado State Representative

See speaker profile

In 2016, Leslie Herod was elected to serve House District 8 in the Colorado House of Representatives and is the first LGBTQ+ African American to hold office in Colorado.

About TEDx

TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." It supports independent organizers who want to create a TED-like event in their own community.

Find a TEDx event near you

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMileHigh, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Support your local bail fund.

Follow the work of the Caring for Denver Foundation.

Reach out to your local representatives to support implementing your own local Support Team Assisted Response program.