The Chicago Transit Authority board approved a year‑long pilot that will place crisis‑intervention personnel on Red, Blue and Green line trains, with the program slated to begin in the fall of 2026. The initiative is funded with $10 million and is scheduled to run for twelve months.
Trained specialists in violence interruption and mental‑health response will be assigned to the three lines. Their role is to intervene in situations that could involve violence or mental‑health crises, aiming to de‑escalate incidents before they require police involvement.
The pilot will draw on dozens of specialists and will be supported by four local contractor groups that will provide staffing and operational support. The $10 million budget covers personnel costs, training and related logistics for the duration of the project.
The program follows recent steps by the CTA to increase security staffing on its vehicles and to expand police presence on trains and buses. Adding non‑law‑enforcement crisis responders is presented as a complementary measure to the existing security enhancements.
By integrating dedicated crisis‑intervention teams into daily service on the Red, Blue and Green lines, the CTA aims to provide a focused response to violence and mental‑health incidents, thereby augmenting overall safety for riders and staff throughout the pilot period.