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Authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings regarding expanding Philadelphia's mobile crisis response capacity to develop strategies and best practices for non-lethal de-escalation, crisis intervention, and restraint of individuals experiencing mental or emotional distress.
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WHEREAS, On October 9, 2020, the City announced its 911 Triage and Co-Responde Program, which is currently designed to connect residents experiencing behavioral health crises to law enforcement and clinicians working together in response to calls for service; and
WHEREAS, On April 15, 2021, Mayor Kenney's budget address included a proposal of $6 million to expand the pilot program, as well as $7.2 million to expand behavioral health mobile crisis units and establish a hotline for emergency mental health services; and
WHEREAS, Advocates across the country have called for the use of mobile crisis units, which would reduce police interactions with people in crisis. It is estimated that one-quarter to one-half of all people in situations where death occurred were a direct result of not having the appropriate authorities readily available while experiencing a mental health crisis. According to Stat News mental health professionals state that mobile crisis units offer a safer, more compassionate way to help those in crisis while preventing needlessly violent and traumatic encounters in the process; and
WHEREAS, There have been multiple preventable occasions where people with disabilities lost their lives due to appropriate authorities not being involved, such as Laquan McDonald who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and complex mental health problems, Ethan Saylor who had Down Syndrome and Walter Wallace, Jr. whose death occurred after a call was made that a man was armed with a knife. Both the video released on social media and his family indicated that Walter was experiencing a mental health emergency. Also, Michelle Cusseaux who was dia...
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