The mental health support partnership is between ChristianaCare and the Wilmington Police Department.
of wilmington city council On Thursday night, it approved a resolution to pair mental health clinicians with police officers to respond to calls for service to assist individuals in crisis.
Resolution 0413sponsored by District 6 City Councilwoman Yolanda McCoy. Wilmington Police DepartmentThe subsidy application form for Delaware Criminal Justice Council The amount is $363,000.
Donations will be used to support the police. Partner in Care Co-Respondent program.
This program is a collaboration with: christiana carewill deploy two mental health professionals and a community health liaison to work with police.
This funding will support the continuation of the city’s contract with ChristianaCare Health Systems, training of program staff, equipment purchases, and other costs associated with this program.
“I want the public and my colleagues here to understand the context in which we are facing this issue,” said Councilwoman Maria Cabrera. “The benefits of having mental health professionals, having someone respond to certain police calls…I believe we’re going to see a difference in the outcome of these interactions between police and community members. This is also a national concern for some local residents.” Behaviors we’ve seen. ”
Ward 7 City Councilman Chris Johnson said this was one of his proudest and most honored moments serving on the City Council.
“This is actually emotional for me because myself, Councilman McCoy and Councilman Oliver went to Newark, N.J., many years ago and talked about CPS,” Johnson said. Ta. “We’ve been talking all about this, and finally being able to see this in action is really worth it.”
He said that despite the negative press the council receives from time to time, the council does much to move Wilmington forward and it is vital that the council prioritizes and understands the importance of mental health. said.
Cabrera said the resolution shows how progressive Wilmington is compared to many other cities.
“This is a council working together to solve big problems,” Johnson said. “This is one of my proudest moments in Congress.”
Ward 3 City Councilor Xanthia Oliver praised ChristianaCare’s willingness to partner.
“You know, this is an addiction, a mental issue that people don’t want to discuss, but it’s relatable,” she said, “so I’m just glad.”
Several other City Council members said they were proud to invest in this mental health service.
“There are a lot of people out there who have real problems, and this program is going to be essential to help us address these issues a little more proactively,” McCoy said.
On the Wilmington Police Department’s website, Chief Wilfredo Campos says his officers work with people who have mental and behavioral health issues and need assistance beyond traditional law enforcement responses. He said that he encounters this every day.
“Our new Partners in Care program will help connect people in need with resources better tailored to meet their needs,” he said.
Jarek, who grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Temple University in 2021. After he ran his YouTube channel for CNN’s Michael Smerconish, he became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald and then joined Delaware Live News.
Jarek can be reached via email at: [email protected] Or call us at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz and on LinkedIn
