WEST CHESTER, PA — One year after its launch, Chester County’s Human Needs Network (HNN) is being credited with transforming the region’s response to mental health crises, behavioral health challenges, and housing emergencies.
The initiative, introduced in 2024 with support from the Chester County Commissioners and developed with input from leaders of more than 50 local organizations, was designed to provide a locally focused safety net for residents in need.
A Surge in Crisis Response
At the heart of the program are a contact center and mobile crisis resolution teams, operating in coordination with the national 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline. According to officials, the network now handles an average of 1,500 distress calls each month and dispatches approximately 150 mobile teams to respond directly to individuals in crisis.
By comparison, in 2023, before the network was formally established, Chester County recorded only 195 mobile dispatches across the entire year.
Community-Based Approach
The contact center, based in West Chester, routes calls from anyone in the county who dials 9-8-8. Calls are confidential, and trained counselors assess the needs of each caller, determining whether further intervention is required. In many cases, resources and counseling provided over the phone are sufficient.
If additional support is needed, a two-person Mobile Crisis Resolution Team—composed of a clinician and a certified peer specialist—travels to meet the caller. These teams operate without lights or sirens, reducing the stress of the encounter, and follow up with individuals after the crisis has been de-escalated.
Impact and Success Stories
Program leaders highlight the network’s ability to reduce involuntary hospitalizations by building trust and encouraging voluntary treatment. “When a community member feels heard, seen, valued, and respected by our team, the crisis is de-escalated, and they receive the help they need through the right treatment,” said Rachael Yudt, Program Manager for the HNN mobile crisis teams.
In one instance, two veterans on a crisis response team were able to connect with another veteran in distress, drawing on both professional expertise and personal experience to encourage him to seek help.
Expanding Access
Alongside the 9-8-8 line, the HNN also manages 2-1-1, an information and referral service that connects residents with resources such as housing and utility support. The program uses mobile navigators, who work out of community spaces like libraries and centers, to meet residents where they are.
Support and Partnerships
The Human Needs Network was funded in part through the American Rescue Plan Act. Chester County contracts with Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems to manage the crisis line and with Woods’ Legacy Treatment Services to oversee the mobile crisis teams.
Officials note that the work is emotionally demanding, but emphasize the dedication of staff who support one another through regular debriefings and shared coping strategies.
The network’s first year underscores the county’s commitment to a more responsive, compassionate, and effective approach to behavioral health emergencies, with leaders stressing that its mission remains focused on saving lives.
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