A program that allows trained mental and behavioral health professionals to respond to certain 911 calls — instead of law enforcement — is growing in popularity in the West Hills.
Allegheny County’s Alternative Response program, known as the A-Team, launched in the fall of 2024 and served less than a half dozen communities, including McKees Rocks. Since then, the program has grown to serve 25 municipalities plus the county police department and the county Housing Authority police department – and more are knocking on the door to join.
Among those 25 participating municipalities are Ingram, Stowe, Kennedy and Coraopolis, and three more West Hills communities – Crafton, Robinson and Thornburg – were scheduled to undergo training this month.
The county Department of Human Services, in partnership with county Emergency Services and the nonprofit Resources for Human Development, developed the program to enhance the existing emergency response system for 911 calls.
Essentially, the A-Team members are trained to respond to “any kind of a call that goes into 911 where there is a perceived mental health crisis, a human services need or a need to connect with resources,” said Jenn Batterton, director of the county Office of Community Justice and Safety.
Jon Chillinsky, Resources for Human Development’s regional director, said he views the alternative response – or A-Team — as a fourth branch of emergency services to go along with police, fire and medical. And so far, he said the feedback from those who’ve been helped by the new responders has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“The calls from people who say, ‘Who are you, we didn’t call for you’ have been few and far between,” he said. “People call, and they need help. We talk to people before we arrive so they know what we look like and what we do.
“And from the law enforcement side of things, we get overwhelmingly positive reviews in our partnership.”
Batterton said that for many years, police have had to respond to situations that needed someone with human services – rather than law enforcement — expertise.
“The A-Team gives police a partner who’s trained specifically for these kinds of mental health and human services-type situations,” she said.
The A-Team addresses mental health crises and other human service-related emergencies in three primary ways:
As an alternative to law enforcement;
In tandem with law enforcement; or
Following an interaction with law enforcement
Chillinsky said county Emergency Services categorizes its 911 calls in such a way to determine if the A-Team will be employed and how it will be employed if needed. He said the nature of the calls varies from week to week.
One example might see the A-Team responding to a vehicle accident scene and encountering an accident victim in shock, not knowing how they might get to work the next day.
“We were there to support them, not just emotionally, but to help them find a ride,” he said. “Or we might find someone who needs a (Protection from Abuse) order – we can take them to get one. Or it might be somebody who is hungry or needs housing, or it might be people who are arguing and there’s a need to mediate.
“It changes day to day or week to week. We’re there to help, and there’s nothing we’d say no to unless it’s a safety issue. We have parameters we’ve designed to ensure not just our safety but the safety of everyone involved.”
Batterson said the A-Team isn’t used on certain types of calls, such as when a weapon is actively being used by or near the caller. For the most part, she said, the eligibility criteria homes in on mental health, human services, substance use disorder or the need for mediation or de-escalation.
The program doesn’t just respond to the immediate need for help, as the A-Team also follows up with those who need additional assistance. That could range from a one-time check-in to broader support over the course of months to make sure someone is getting connected to longer-term resources and supports.
“This is something that community members and the police are eager to have,” Batterton said. “Crisis response can feel insufficient and can lead to repetitive crisis response. We wanted to build in the opportunity for longer-term care in the human services system.”
Each A-Team crew consists of two behavioral health first responders, supported by clinical supervisors. Currently, 29 first responders, dispatch coordinators and follow-up staff are employed within the program along with five clinical supervisors, one clinical director and one program director. The program is funded by the county, so there is no fee for the participating municipalities and police departments.
Jack Doherty, who’s been Ingram’s police chief for just shy of 25 years, said the A-Team responds to four or five calls a month on average in his community.
“They’ve been fantastic,” he said. “I can’t say anything bad about them and I could say good things all day long.”
The Allegheny County A-Team initiative aims to:
De-escalate crises in the community.
Reduce unnecessary emergency room visits.
Minimize the time law enforcement spends on behavioral health and human service-related calls.
Provide connections to care for those in crisis.
Decrease the likelihood of arrest and incarceration for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Doherty said the team has responded in a timely fashion not only to the immediate calls but after the fact when needed.
“I’ve had several phone calls from people who’ve had (the A-Team) respond to them, and they’ve had nothing but good things to say,” he said. “They follow up and they get the resources to the people who need them.”
Coraopolis Mayor Michael Dixon, whose community joined the A-Team fold in January, said police Chief Jason Stewart brought the program to his attention and the borough council moved to endorse it shortly thereafter.
“Mental health support for both our residents and our officers is something we take very seriously,” he said, “and the A-Team directly aligns with that commitment.
“Any resource that helps us provide that level of care to our community is one we’re going to support and employ.”
Chillinsky said the A-Team’s behavioral health first responders have “varied and wide” backgrounds.
“Because of the different types of situations we come into, it’s important to have a diverse team to approach these situations so we can support each other while we’re in the field and in the days after,” he said.
New police departments that come on board must undergo training to learn how to contact the A-Team members, what types of situations would warrant the A-Team’s response and when that call should be made. Chillinsky said the initial training is fairly brief, but he and others involved with the program will regularly visit the participating departments to talk with officers and see if any issues need attention.
Batterton said the success of the program is prompting other municipalities to inquire about joining. “From the beginning, we’ve been committed to expanding consistently but carefully and thoughtfully,” she said.
Batterton said the program utilizes a “firehouse model” when it comes to staffing so that it can respond to calls in less than 30 minutes. At this stage, the program consists of two main service areas, but the goal is to add a third area.
“It’s been a huge success from the perspective of communities that continue to seek out the resource and ask us to expand to their areas,” Batterton said. “The word-of-mouth from the police chiefs has been compelling, and that’s a testament to its success in part.”
Batterton said she’s heard from police chiefs who have told her that if they had access to the A-Team in a certain scenario, “they would have chosen to use it.”
“We’re excited there has been this kind of demand.”
Like this:
Like Loading…
Related