LYNN – The City’s unarmed response team will be available to the public by phone starting Monday, July 21.
The implementation of the Lynn Calm Team, operating in partnership with Eliot Community Human Services, launched June 3 and has consisted of proactive outreach and responding to referrals provided by the community. Starting Monday, the Calm Team can be contacted by calling 781-905-CALM (2256), with the dispatch residing within Eliot.
In conjunction with the public launch, Abdel Kawaf has been named program administrator of the Calm Team and started in that role this week in the City’s Public Health Department.
“I am passionate about equity and racial justice,” said Kawaf, an asylee from Syria via Qatar who has been working for the city since 2021, most recently in the Community Development Department. “I understand the immigrant community, and I’ve dedicated my career in the U.S. to helping the underserved.”
Kawaf will focus on wrap-around services and connecting community members to resources while managing the contract with Eliot. He will also be part of the response team and will go on calls.
After seeking asylum in the U.S. in 2013, Kawaf worked as a case manager for Catholic Charities and in employment services for Jewish Vocational Services, supporting refugees and immigrants in achieving self-sufficiency and economic empowerment. He moved to the city in 2019 and first worked in the Personnel Department before moving to Community Development, where he helped coordinate the Summer Youth Workers program and provided technical assistance and support to local nonprofits with federal grants. He was granted asylum in 2019 and is a permanent resident.
Kawaf earned his master’s in conflict resolution from UMass Boston in 2024. Through his academic and professional journey, he has gained a nuanced understanding of the critical issues related to racial equity and inclusion.
“I’m excited to be in a role where I’m empowered to assist with challenging issues,” said Kawaf, who will lend his conflict resolution training to the team. Candice McClory, substance use disorder coordinator for the Lynn Public Health Department, will also support the Calm Team. “We’re here to help and let people know they don’t have to face their problems alone. We want them to approach us and ask for services,” she said.
Both McClory and Kawaf will report to the Public Health Director Lisa Tobin.
“We’re excited to be supporting this new initiative,” Tobin said. “We look forward to reviewing the data to help determine public health policy that supports the social determinants of health for our residents. More importantly, we are proud to be a part of making a difference for residents and helping all residents be met where they are currently.”
The idea for an unarmed response team to deal with non-violent issues was originally called for by the Lynn Racial Justice Coalition in 2020, and several of those members continue to be involved through the newly formed Lynn Calm Team Community Advisory Committee.
“We are excited to see the expanded implementation of this initiative,” Mayor Jared C. Nicholson said. “I am confident we have assembled a team that is fully prepared to execute the mission of the Calm Team, which will complement our existing public safety resources as an independent alternative for certain mental health and community concerns.”
Lynn’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer Faustina Cuevas will be the City’s point person on the Calm Team in its pilot phase.
The Lynn Calm Team has a funding allocation of $250,000 from the City budget in addition to $50,000 from the Opioid Working Group, which is responsible for making recommendations to the City regarding the expenditures of the Municipal Abatement Funds recovered from statewide opioid settlements. The City will continue to seek grant funding in hopes to expand and grow the program.
In addition to their phone number, the Calm Team can be reached by email at [email protected]
