Emancipate NC celebrates key wins after years of community advocacy
Thanks to sustained advocacy—including letter-writing campaigns and public pressure led by Emancipate NC—the Raleigh CARES (Crisis Alternative Response for Empathy and Support) program is finally becoming a reality.
Here’s where things stand:
🔁 Crisis Call Diversion
While the official launch has been delayed, the City of Raleigh is now interviewing clinicians to help reroute 911 calls involving mental health crises away from police and toward trained professionals. This is a vital shift toward care instead of criminalization.
🏥 Care Navigation Unit
Soft-launched on May 13, the unit has already helped five community members secure housing and access mental health services. It is on track to be fully operational by July 1.
🚑 Mobile Crisis Response Teams
The City and Wake County are finalizing agreements to launch mobile units staffed by non-police responders—like EMTs—through a third-party vendor. This marks an important step toward reimagining public safety.
📊 Transparency in ACORNS
We’re pushing for public access to data on ACORNS (Addressing Crises through Outreach, Referrals, Networking, and Support) interactions. Raleigh has partnered with a third-party vendor to build this data platform, which has already logged 1,200+ total contacts and 386 unique individuals. Veterans, particularly vulnerable to housing and mental health instability, remain a key focus.
🌐 Stay Informed
Explore more→
Next Steps: Keep the Pressure On
We’re not done. Emancipate NC will continue to monitor CARES implementation and fight for full funding and accountability.
📣 Take Action:
👉 Sign our letter to Raleigh City Council→
👉 Reach out to your city councilors and county commissioners
👉 Attend public comment sessions and make your voice heard
Together, we can build a Raleigh where crisis response means care—not punishment.
Visit our Raleigh HEART Coalition website and sign up for our newsletter to receive more frequent updates→