ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The City of Rochester is launching a new team to respond to calls for people in distress.

Mayor Lovely Warren unveiled the city's new Person in Crisis (PIC) Team Thursday.

The PIC will offer an alternative response to emergency calls involving people with mental health, substance abuse, or other similar issues.

The idea for the team was sparked by the death of Daniel Prude in police custody last year.

"Beginning today, when calls are received, as long as there are no weapons or injuries, or no crime has been committed, our PIC team will be dispatched to the scene, rather than police officers or ambulances," said Mayor Lovely Warren. 

The pilot program is slated to run through June.

During the pilot the team will be evaluated on how it's able to troubleshoot initial issues and develop plans going forward.

Calls for the team can be placed through 911 or 211.