Cambridge HEART

The Cambridge Holistic Emergency Alternative Response Team is a proposal for a non-police emergency response system.

The model, developed by The Black Response Team, was conceived and designed with Cambridge community members: “We have been committed to using a collaborative community-based approach to developing a public safety program that met the needs of our communities. This approach has involved developing a coalition of impacted members of the community, service providers, and local organizations invested in this work to design a program that centers the needs of those most impacted by police violence and other forms of systemic harm.”

The process included in-depth interviews, general community surveys, and a specific survey for youth on policing. The model also emphasized accountability to the communities it serves: “Cambridge HEART is designed to be a multifaceted, holistic safety response program that is composed of and accountable to Cambridge community members, particularly those most impacted by carceral systems. This requires coordination between pre-existing community-based organizations, newly developed response and wellness teams, and administrative and technical teams all working in concert to support the long-term safety and well-being of the Cambridge community.”

You can read more about the model in their zine. The main services that the HEART model seeks to provide are:

• Conflict resolution through restorative and transformative practices

• Mutual aid services (access to food, materials goods, etc.)

• Public response (non-violent approach to supporting the unhoused, intoxicated, and those in crisis in public spaces from drugs, mental health issues, etc.)

• Database for accessible communication and coordination among service providers and the community

• Aftercare team/proactive community cohesion

• Community-based skill-building training

Source: Cambridge Holistic Emergency Alternative Response Team, The Black Response Team, 2021