The Triton Compassionate Response Team will now be available to the campus community Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and they will soon have a phone line where students can call a clinician from Triton CORE directly. 

The Triton CORE program, initially piloted in March 2023, serves as a crisis response team for students on campus as an alternative to traditional first responders. The team consists of licensed counselors and social workers with the goal of decreasing the number of students taken to the emergency room for behavioral crises. 

“Triton CORE responds to non-violent behavioral health crises among UC San Diego students who are physically located on campus,” Ashley Metoyer, lead mental health professional for Triton CORE, said. 

According to Metoyer, some examples of when students should contact Triton CORE include non-violent behavioral health crises, struggling with alcohol and/or substance use impairment, experiencing out-of-baseline behaviors, and expressing thoughts of harming oneself with no imminent risk.

However, Metoyer explained that if a student is located off campus, needs medical attention, or is expressing aggressive behaviors, then 911 should be contacted instead of Triton CORE.  

“There are a lot of issues that students need help with that don’t require police involvement, and I think that’s a great way to involve other professionals,” John Muir senior Lucas Howard-Ron said. 

Because the program is still in the pilot phase, the team is continuing to collect data and fine-tune the program. However, Metoyer said that the program has already responded to numerous requests from students and others who have called on the students’ behalf. 

“Thus far, feedback has been positive,” Metoyer said. “Students have expressed that they are reassured that their mental health needs will be addressed, whenever possible, by trained clinicians in lieu of law enforcement.” 

Metoyer also stressed the importance of preserving the autonomy of students who use the program. 

“We strive to ensure our students have access to all the information needed to make informed decisions, that our services are consensual, and clinicians provide anticipatory guidance. While each crisis response is unique, students can be assured that they will retain their power of choice,” Metoyer said. 

More information about Triton CORE can be found on their website.