Wilmington is making strides in the realm of crisis response with its Partners in Care Program, a collaborative effort between the Wilmington Police Department and ChristianaCare that has generated its third progress report, showcasing the gains made in the final months of 2024. Launched in March last year, the commendable initiative has now brought mental health clinicians into the fold of community support, pairing them with law enforcement officers to address service calls with a combined perspective on safety and wellbeing, not to mention the proactive outreach work being done in the streets.
Over the three months spanning from October to December, the program's team, which includes a case manager and two clinicians, offered their support to 117 individuals, 108 of whom were new clients seeking help for the first time. Adding in the 9 who had continued from earlier support, a growing network of care which, while slow, reflects a burgeoning commitment to reshaping how crises are addressed in our city neighborhoods; one that takes mental health just as seriously as it does law enforcement.
This proactive approach has earned praise from the top ranks, with Chief Wilfredo Campos telling Wilmington Police Department, “We are proud to see the continued positive impact of this initiative in neighborhoods across Wilmington.” The initiative is not without its champions, and this statement heartily acknowledges the hard work of the Partners in Care team, owing to further development and investment into a more compassionate system of care.
www.WilmingtonDE.gov/PartnersInCare, there’s also the option to reach out to the Partners in Care team directly via phone at (302) 576-3189 or email at [email protected].
