BUFFALO, N.Y. — A community can never be fully prepared for the type of senseless violence a racist mass shooter committed on May 14, 2022, at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo.

However, New York State Office of Victims Services (OVS) Director Bea Hanson said the incident did expose gaps in its ability to provide immediate support to victims and survivors.

"We learned that we need to make sure that we have mental health counselors and service providers that really reflect the demographics and the needs of that particular community," she said.

Hanson took over as director in June and said her first priorities were visiting Erie County and then every other county across the state to make sure victims service and mental health providers are connected with local emergency response teams before incidents of mass violence happen.

"I think we fell short in Buffalo in making sure that we had counselors who were from the African American community part of that response. We rectified that and have been working with a number of organizations, with the Buffalo Urban League particularly who OVS funds," she said.

As part of her State of the State initiatives, Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing New York establish a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team, led by OVS in partnership with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

"The goal of the crisis response team is really to be on site and ready with everything that's needed to address that particular crisis," said Hanson.

Hanson envisions the crisis response team immediately assessing both the direct and broad impacts of an incident and partnering with local leadership, emergency response, and service providers to get people immediately on the ground. She said the team would also provide training and technical assistance to local programs and state resources when necessary.

"Our goal is that we have credible, good victim assistance providers in every community throughout the state and any neighborhood communities or larger communities we want to make sure that resources are available," Hanson said.

OVS is looking for a base level of funding for the response team that would grow based on needs in instances of mass violence. Hanson said most of the offices funding comes from fines and fees and there is federal emergency funding available too.