June 1st: Press Conference Calling For Full Funding For Mobile Crisis Teams
On Thursday, June 1, Amistad Law Project and the Philadelphia Treatment Not Trauma Coalition (TNT) are holding a press conference with Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Jamie Gauthier urging the city to prioritize mobile crisis response. We are calling for $3 million in additional funding for mobile crisis units, to reduce wait times, hire and retain staff, and ensure that all mobile crisis teams can operate 24/7.
Since the murder of Walter Wallace Jr in October 2020, our coalition has been fighting to get law enforcement out of the business of responding to mental health crises in Philadelphia. If you are having a medical emergency and call 911, you get an ambulance. If you are in a mental health crisis, you should get trained mental health professionals. This targeted approach delivers the most effective resources to the people who need them most.
In the years since we launched our campaign, Philadelphia has launched a mobile crisis pilot program that is comprised of teams that work to provide such services. Philly is poised to be a leader in compassionate and transformative services that respond to people in crisis with care, not cops. But we need to set that program up for success and expand it.
Please join us in calling for additional funding, and call your council member to urge them to join us at this event. The city has the money we need to offer the professional care people in crisis need and deserve. We need community members and council members to leverage their power to allocate funds so we can expand this vital service.
Date: THURSDAY, June 1, 2023
Event Time: 9:00 AM
Location: North Apron of City Hall
