Rep Scanlon Secures $650K For Delco Mobile Crisis Teams

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — More than half a million dollars is going to support Mobile Crisis Teams in Delaware County.

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) helped secure $650,000 in federal funding for the Mobile Crisis Teams program.

The Delaware County Mobile Crisis Teams will be stationed at the County’s Emergency Services location and dispatched in conjunction with law enforcement when the person involved is known or suspected to be suffering from mental illness.

The program would divert these individuals into treatment, with prioritized admission, to properly address their underlying needs.

"We’ve seen, far too often, the tragic consequences that come when a mental health crisis isn’t properly addressed," Scanlon said. "According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, 1 in 4 fatal police encounters involve an individual with severe mental illness. At this rate, the risk of being killed is 16 times greater for individuals with untreated mental illness than for others approached or stopped by officers. But these tragedies can be avoided — the new Mobile Crisis Teams can help both community members suffering from mental illness and over-burdened police forces."

"Adding mobile mental health crisis services to the resources available to first responders is a huge step forward in moving mental health from a law enforcement problem to a community-building opportunity," said Timothy Boyce, Director, Delaware County Department of Emergency Services. "As the director of emergency services, I recognize the importance of organizing a team approach. With this pilot program, we can now include mental health professionals as early responders."

The Fiscal Year 2022 spending bill provides $1.5 trillion in discretionary resources, including nearly $8.5 million in Community Project Funding secured by Scanlon for organizations in the 5th District.

More information on the Community Project Funding awards in the district is available here.