PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware County leaders are working with federal officials to re-envision how to help support people in a mental health crisis.
Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon recently secured $650,000 in federal funding for a pilot mobile crisis program that pulls together law enforcement, mental health providers and community leaders to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis get help, rather than getting locked up — or worse.
“It was something we were seeing happening all over the country, and then right here in our backyard,” she said. “It keeps recurring and no one takes action on it.”
And she says it happens all too often.
“We’ve known that encounters between law enforcement and people in mental health distress happen to go south. One in four police shootings involve someone in a mental distress,” Scanlon said.
Related Jawncast: Delaware County launched a new mobile crisis program to send mental health professionals alongside police in response to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Scanlon is planning to have mental health professionals on site as support when police respond to calls involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis.
Havertown Police Chief John Viola agrees the old way just isn’t working. He says he welcomes the help.
“To have someone come out and help as police officers to get through this is a win for everybody around,” Viola said. “If you’re going through a crisis, you’re in handcuffs right away. and the tension goes up. Terrible. But this program is a plus for everyone.”
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The congresswoman says this program is still in the early stages of planning, but she wants to roll it out as soon as possible because it’s so important to fix what is broken right now.
“It’s about getting the political will to get things done so we can stop repeating bad results,” she said. “It’s part of having a different vision of police.”
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