When we were trying to come up with a name around the mobile crisis and we knew this was

a program we wanted to do, Dr. Armin told us about this program in Pennsylvania, black

people coming together to respond to medical needs in the communities before the ambulance

service existed.

And that's very much in the same spirit of what we're trying to do here.

So I felt just right.

Last week we met Rachel Gilmer, who's work in mental health in Miami, is inspired

by the original Freedom House in Pittsburgh.

In the 60s, two dozen black men in Pittsburgh changed emergency medical response in this

country, born out of a desire to minimize police harm in black neighborhoods.

Now Rachel is leading the Freedom House mobile crisis unit, a program that responds to mental

health needs within a five mile radius of the historically black neighborhood of Liberty

City.

And this week, I'm riding with Rachel in Miami to see it all in action.

And y'all are expanding your services right?

Like there's been enough success right now that you're growing?

Yeah, yeah.

So last year we ran a pilot program only two days a week.

And in the first few months, we responded to folks experiencing suicidal ideation.

We responded to folks who just wanted somebody to talk to.

We responded to folks who had family members going through crisis, and they didn't know

what to do.

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