Social Workers Assisting Police Likely In Bristol, Bristol Twp. & Tullytown

Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, and Tullytown Borough are likely to join the Bucks County Division of Human Services’s co-responder program.

The program puts trained social workers in police departments and assists officers dealing with people who need social services and also conducts proactive outreach and follow up.

Before the Bucks County Salary Board last week, the county’s human service arm requested and was approved to hire two co-responders for the program to the serve the three municipalities. The social workers receive a county car, police radio, protective gear, and a salary of $58,000 per year. The positions have not yet been filed.

This week, the county’s two newest co-responders – Jessica Manzo and Cara Gadzinski – began working with the Falls Township and Middletown Township police departments.

The program has grown out of the pilot started by the county in Bensalem Township last winter.

The social workers will respond to a variety of issues, including mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and aging. Not all the contacts will come through 9-1-1 dispatchers, but many referrals will come through the township’s schools and other government agencies. The social workers will be able to connect those in crisis with relevant resources.

One of the goals is to divert people in crisis from the criminal justice system, which isn’t often designed to help them. It also takes a burden off police officers, who are often asked to work as de facto social workers.

“I am certain this is going to provide relief for officers who have been managing human service issues, and will be a responsive service for residents facing challenges,” said Bucks County Commissioners Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia, who is a social worker.

The county has pledged to cover to the cost of the co-responders for the first two years.

Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, and Tullytown Borough officials are still in discussions with the county over the program. Documents are being reviewed and a virtual meeting for officials is set for the new year.

“The township is not opposed to implementing this program,” Bristol Township Manager Randee Elton said. “We have to discuss and finalize the details of the operation with the shared co-responders and make sure this program will benefit the township.”

James Dillion, Bristol Borough’s manager, said the municipality is awaiting to hear updates on the program.

Tullytown Borough Chief of Police Daniel Doyle said he is looking forward to the program.

“Tullytown is pleased to be a part of the much needed mental health co-responder program. Through our partnerships we hope to provide streamlined mental health resources to citizens within our community who need the service,” he told LevittownNow.com.

In Bensalem Township, the program has shown early success and received bipartisan support from local and county officials.

Between January and June, there were 132 calls for assistance for the two social workers who assisted police. By August, the two social workers embedded with police had 160 clients they had worked with.

Officials have seen a decrease in 9-1-1 calls from people whose problems were better handled through social services.

Co-responder Rachel Agosto, who is assigned to Bensalem Township, said in summer that the number of people who dialed 9-1-1 more than three times over a six month period shrank by 18 percent.

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