Rochester's CERT volunteers seek state funding as committee hears local testimony

Sen. Sandra Bolden introduced Senate File 983 on March 28, requesting an appropriation to support Rochester's Community Engagement Response Team (CERT), a volunteer group that works on crisis intervention, homelessness, substance-use outreach and restorative engagement with law enforcement.

The bill matters because CERT works directly in neighborhoods and at community events to de-escalate conflicts and connect people to services; supporters told the committee that cutting off the team would remove a community resource that volunteers and local officials now rely on.

Sen. Sandra Bolden, sponsor: "This team'plays a really a critical role in our community in terms of fostering public safety, crisis intervention, community resilience." She framed the request as an appropriation to help CERT sustain and expand work that members said reduces harm and builds relationships with people in crisis.

William "Bud" Whitehorn, Rochester community liaison, described CERT's activities in detail, saying the volunteers did downtown outreach, gave out food and haircuts, held restorative circles with police officers, performed jail outreach and organized job fairs. "We were giving out free foods. We were, gave out free haircuts. You look good, you feel good," Whitehorn said, explaining the team's strategy of relationship-building rather than confrontation.

John Marshall High School Principal Matt Ruzek said CERT members had longstanding relationships with students and families and that the group's presence had helped change how some residents interact with public institutions. "We would have not have been afforded that opportunity had we not developed that relationship with CERT," Ruzek told the committee.

Olmsted County Fair president Scott Schneider said CERT's presence at the fair helped transform the event into "one of the safest fairs" by including youth and giving them opportunities to work and learn skills instead of policing them out of the event.

Committee action: The committee's stated intent was to "lay this bill over for possible inclusion." The clerk recorded that "Senate file 983 is laid over." No formal vote on final passage was taken in this hearing; the bill will be considered later in the omnibus process.

Looking ahead: Supporters asked the Judiciary Committee and appropriations authors to consider the appropriation during omnibus negotiations. The testimony emphasized CERT's local partnerships with schools, law enforcement and community groups and argued that continued funding would help reduce local crises and provide alternatives to enforcement for some calls.