CTA launches Safe Ride Specialist program

The Chicago Transit Authority this month launched the Safe Ride Specialist pilot program, which places teams trained in de-escalation on CTA trains and across major stations and bus terminals.

The specialists are one component of the CTA's comprehensive safety approach; the teams work in coordination with police, security and front line staff. Specialists include teams of mental health clinicians, peer support specialists, crisis intervention specialists and community violence intervention experts, CTA officials said in a press release.

Safe Ride Specialists wear branded vests that designate their role as either a crisis intervention specialist, who work to connect riders with treatment, housing and social services, or a community violence intervention specialist, who engage with youth and young adults to de-escalate potential conflicts.

The pilot program will last one year, during which CTA will measure program effectiveness to determine if it will continue.