The Police Department Community Intervention program works closely with the Allentown Police Department and other Lehigh County Police Departments to assess the needs of individuals who engage with the police, to refer individuals to the appropriate services, reduce recidivism, and to promote the Recovery Model.
Community Intervention Specialists are embedded within the Allentown and Lehigh County Police Departments to provide support in their work with individuals with an array of issues, including, but not limited to connecting individuals with community resources. This trauma-informed program is a collaborative effort administered and supervised by Pinebrook Family Answers with the goal of alleviating barriers that patrol officers encounter when responding to these types of calls. The relationship between these police departments and Pinebrook Family Answers is based on mutual trust and on-going communication.
Community Intervention Specialists can also offer individuals who become engaged with the legal system the opportunity to improve their outcomes with mental illness and/or substance use problems. This program also develops better community partnerships with law enforcement agencies and the courts. Our goals are to connect individuals to appropriate resources, prevent unnecessary jail, prison, and hospital stays; to reduce recidivism and to support recovery, for the benefit of the individual, their loved ones, and the community.
The role of the Community Intervention Specialists is to:
- Help clients navigate access to community providers and mental health services.
- Conduct home visits, when necessary, to evaluate people’s needs.
- Provide consultation and education about mental health.
- Respond to mental health calls for service when they arise.
- Answer questions about available resources & services that address behavioral health issues.
- Intervene with people who have repeated involvement with law enforcement, consulting with case managers to improve coordination of care.
- Work collaboratively with mental health providers, community resource providers, consumers, and advocates to provide individual response plans and follow up.