Authorizing the joint Committees on Public Safety and Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings to investigate the effectiveness and potential expansion of mobile mental health units administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services.

Authorizing the joint Committees on Public Safety and Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings to investigate the effectiveness and potential expansion of mobile mental health units administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services. WHEREAS, In July of 2022, a national mental health crisis hotline was launched to assist in the ongoing mental health crisis. The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services then launched a conducive mobile mental health crisis unit that assists in calls pertaining to mental health; and WHEREAS, These units provide on-site care and intervention to individuals struggling with mental health concerns. Mental health crises are a significant public safety concern, and effective response mechanisms are crucial for the well-being of individuals and communities; and WHEREAS, One in 4 people shot by the police were experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting. Mobile mental health crisis units have proven to be a valuable resource in addressing mental health emergencies by providing immediate, on-site care and intervention, thus potentially reducing the need for police involvement and hospitalization; and WHEREAS, When used in tandem with the national mental health crisis hotline “988” or the local Philadelphia crisis hotline, one in ten calls lead to a dispatch of the mobile mental health unit; and WHEREAS, Currently, there are an array of providers in Philadelphia…