New pilots add to agency’s holistic, multi-layered approach to system security; and leverages funding made available from the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act
The Chicago Transit Board today approved the awarding of four professional services agreements with local organizations supporting the agency’s new Safe Ride Specialist program pilot. The program will add dedicated non-law enforcement rider engagement resources to promote a safe transit experience for every rider.
“Our new Safe Ride Specialists program builds on the foundation of CTA's public safety efforts, bringing trained, compassionate outreach professionals into the system to meet riders where they are," said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. "This program will help every rider feel welcome, connect vulnerable riders to the support they need, and complement our recent investments to increase law enforcement resources."
The Safe Ride Specialist program pilot was developed collaboratively in partnership with riders and more than 30 mental health and social service experts, community organizations, and labor partners at CTA’s Transit Community Safety workshop held in August 2025.
Safe Ride Specialists will serve two core roles:
- Crisis Intervention Specialists: Support riders experiencing mental health crises and substance abuse disorders by connecting them to treatment, housing, and social services.
- Community Violence Intervention Specialists: Engage youth and young adults to build positive relationships, de-escalate potential conflicts, and redirect energy into constructive behaviors.
Safe Ride Specialists will maintain a highly visible presence on CTA’s system by proactively riding the system in teams across targeted stations, trains, and buses to address anti-social behaviors and provide a reassuring presence for riders. Safe Ride Specialists will wear distinct, branded uniforms and are trained in trauma-informed care, crisis de-escalation, conflict resolution, and anti-bias principles. Every Safe Ride Specialist team will carry outreach materials, care & hygiene kits, and Narcan. Additionally, each organization brings significant outreach experience and a network of wraparound services that riders can directly access, including shelter beds, respite locations, mental healthcare, and much more.
Safe Ride Specialists will be deployed on the system starting in September. Partner agencies include Healthcare Alternative Systems (HAS), Street Samaritans, Housing Forward, and Metropolitan Peace Initiatives – a division of Metropolitan Family Services. Partners will focus on the Blue, Red and Green Lines, with particular staging locations and access points determined through rider and employee feedback, as well as access to areas of respite for rider engagement and the availability of wraparound resources.
While the pilot zones are targeted to areas of highest need as identified by riders, front-line personnel and security resources, riders and personnel across the entire system will experience the benefits of these pilots.
"HAS is excited to partner with the CTA to provide person-centered, trauma-informed services in a space that all Chicagoans rely on every day. Crisis doesn't always happen in a clinic; it happens in public and on transit systems. We are eager for our talented, compassionate staff to continue meeting people where they're at and provide them with the support they need,” said Millie Adan, Chief Executive Officer of HAS.
“Street Samaritans is proud to partner with the CTA on this critical work. Our approach has always been rooted in the people we serve and extending that work to the Blue Line reflects exactly where it's needed most. This partnership is a natural extension of our commitment to Chicago, one that now reaches into the transit system where so many of our neighbors spend their days,” said Oscar Martinez, Executive Director of Street Samaritans.
“Housing Forward appreciates the opportunity to partner with the CTA on the Safe Ride pilot program and bring more than 15 years of Street Outreach experience to the Green Line. CTA trains are already an important part of daily life for many people experiencing homelessness, making them a natural place to offer support. This partnership creates an important opportunity to connect people not only with services, but with a specific pathway to stability,” said Lynda Schueler, CEO of Housing Forward.
“We are proud to partner with the Chicago Transit Authority on this innovative pilot program that brings Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and crisis prevention strategies into one of the city’s most important public spaces,” said Vaughn Bryant, Vice President and Executive Director of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI). “We are also equally excited to create new employment pathways for Chicagoans who want to use their lived experiences and commitment to peace to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Public safety and violence prevention remain a top priority for MPI, and we believe the presence of our trained Crisis Prevention and Response Unit (CPRU) can help foster a safer, more welcoming transit environment for all riders. This pilot program is an opportunity to demonstrate the transformative impact of CVI and create a model that can one day be expanded across the city’s public transit system.”
The Safe Ride Specialists will add to CTA’s existing resources for unhoused riders on the 24-hour Red and Blue lines through a partnership with Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). On Wednesday the Chicago Transit Board also approved two new expanded agreements with DFSS for additional outreach for people experiencing homelessness, including introducing new dedicated shelter beds to better support those seeking refuge on the transit system.
Additionally, the program is another layer of CTA’s comprehensive safety approach that was strengthened with the passage of the NITA Act last fall. Earlier this year CTA partnered with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Cook County Sherriff’s Office to deploy additional officers across the system. The new law also establishes a regional transit ambassador program led by NITA, in partnership with CTA, Metra, and Pace, to assist riders and connect with law enforcement, social services, and community resources, as needed.
The total cost for the pilots is $9.6 million and will be supported by previously allocated funds under the CTA budget with additional funding authorized by the RTA Board in May after the passage of the NITA Act. During the one-year pilot, CTA will measure program effectiveness through various key performance indicators, such as incidents de-escalated without the use of law enforcement; reduction in service delays; improved safety for front line personnel and riders; connection to wraparound resources, and vulnerable rider outcomes beyond the initial engagement. These indicators will be evaluated to determine the future of the program and help inform the regional safety initiatives being led by NITA.
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