In Part 1, medical students Anjali Jaiman and Andrea Martinez discuss the history of oppression through psychiatric institutionalization and criminalization of mental health concerns. They are joined by Carla Rabinowitz, who is the Project Coordinator of Correct Crisis Intervention Training NYC, an organization that advocates for peer-led, compassionate care for people experiencing mental health crisis. Our current police-led response to mental health crisis often leads to violence and further trauma. While the mayor’s new mental health response team is a step in the right direction, Carla illustrates the ideal model for responding to mental health crisis, which includes a peer with lived experience of mental health crisis and connections to community resources.