According to Danielle (Danni) Ashton, Emergency Response Social Worker & local 1635 member, “PIC is where red tape ends and compassion begins.” The Person in Crisis (PIC) team at the City of Rochester provides a coordinated response to crisis calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Danni Ashton is a valued member of this extraordinary team.
Danni graduated from Nazareth College with a Social Work degree and used her time in college to help vulnerable people. She created a project to support children of incarcerated parents, an experience she herself understood. During her time in college, she also travelled to Delaware to support unhoused people.
She joined PIC in 2021. She remembers that year as one where the community “desperately wanted to be heard.” She loves the acuteness of the work and that “every day is different.” On any given day she may be working with people experiencing domestic violence, suicidal thoughts or attempts, serious family issues, family loss or housing placements. Another day may be fun outreach projects giving coats and other items away. On weekends, the PIC team fulfills a special Rochester City Council assignment by distributing resources, coats and clothing to unhoused individuals in the community.
Calls are dispatched from 911, 988, 211 and other avenues and the PIC team has 7 minutes to be enroute to a call. PIC works with their partners at 911, fire and police, to best address every crisis call. The gravity of the work can be overwhelming at times due to the seriousness of the issues we address. She leans on her faith to navigate through the most challenging moments. “I understand that my work is part of a larger purpose and I continue to grow my faith in God.”
She also lives in Rochester and believes deeply in the neighborhood impact of her work. “I live in this community and benefit from members in my community getting help. Our community is working together to support each other and not “just address’ these issues.”
“People are living with these mental health issues. They are coping with them. They are enduring grief. As a community we are navigating through these challenges together in a supportive manner.”
Every call is different every time. According to Danni, PIC helps to hopefully reduce the bearing load on police and provides vicarious education to police officers by having them work alongside the PIC team. PIC serves as a de-escalation resource for police. The way PIC triages and supports community members is different than any other New York State operation.
In 2023, the PIC team was awarded the Community Service Award by the City of Rochester, a proud moment for the team. “We hold ourselves to high standards of integrity and commitment to the population we serve.”
Danni holds a deep affection for children and families, particularly as a mother herself. In one case, she encountered two girls in foster care who repeatedly ran away from their group homes. Despite facing adversity, these girls had created a strong bond and wished to stay together as a family. Danni advocated for this uncommon request, ultimately succeeding in securing their placement together. Through her perseverance, the girls were able to find the stability and care they had longed for.
One of the toughest parts of the job is knowing where to start when so many people have co-occurring crisis happening at the same time. Mental health, homelessness, there’s not one fixed answer. “When the house is on fire where do you start?”
Danni tries to use a compartmentalization tactic when interacting with people in crisis looking at what can be done, considering her scope of her work. She believes its essential to “know your boundaries.” Danni also believes self-care and decompression are especially important in a field where you are constantly working in trauma and crisis. She tries to engage in activities that bring her joy. One of her favorite activities is listening to the powerful vocals of Rochester artist Danielle Ponder.
Danni was raised by two union moms and her desire for knowledge made her become more involved in the union. She became a steward in 2022, which has allowed her to support her coworkers at an even greater level.
Danni is a changemaker, advocating for mental health care reforms including increased resources for preventive mental health services, mental health court and employment services. In spite of the emotional and physical toll of the workload & the personal impact of constantly being placed in traumatic situations, Danni works tirelessly every day to break down barriers and be a “conduit of joy” for struggling, vulnerable people in our community.
Update: On May 21, Rochester City Council recognized the Crisis Services Team, including the PIC Team, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
