Social workers to respond to mental health 911 calls in NYC pilot program Mental health emergencies New York City is launching a pilot program in Harlem and East Harlem. Social workers and EMTs will respond to certain mental health 911 calls instead of police. NEW YORK - ThriveNYC is a new pilot program that sends social workers to answer nonviolent mental health emergency calls instead of police officers. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams supported it. "For far too long, our city's response to mental health calls has been a failure," Williams said. The ThriveNYC will begin in the spring in Harlem and East Harlem. Those police precincts that handled the highest number of mental health 911 calls last year.