Chester County recently unveiled its Human Needs Network, aimed at combating a mental health pandemic, housing crisis, food insecurity, and more, writes Kenny Cooper for the WHYY.
With this new initiative, Pennsylvania’s wealthiest county is placing counselors on the line as well as specialists on the streets to be able to reach people where they are. The county developed the initiative with input from over 50 local organizations.
Most of the county’s investment was covered by unused American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“Instead of calling Pittsburgh to be triaged for an issue, you’ll be calling a neighbor potentially who knows the nonprofits they’re going to try and connect you to,” said Josh Maxwell, chair of the county Board of Commissioners. “So, it’s making services more local and more attainable to people.”
The county Department of Human Services spent months softly rolling out its own contact center to handle 211 and 988 calls. The county also formed several mobile crisis resolution teams, which have been dispatched over 350 times across the county so far.
Recently, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh toured the new center.
Read more about the Human Needs Network of Chester County in the WHYY.
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