Emergency Services, Hospitals, and Mental Health
In Josh’s own words:
“We have the duty to expand our services to make sure that we’re going out and reaching people who need the most help.”
Josh’s plan:
Access to healthcare
The closing of hospitals countywide has been troubling in the wake of the pandemic—but Josh has stepped up. He is deeply committed to keeping quality healthcare available and reopening shuttered hospitals, and has already secured Christiana Care to reopen in Jennersville, with efforts elsewhere ongoing.
On-demand resources and Teen Talk hotline
As commissioner, Josh has prioritized a shift toward on-demand centralized treatment resource system that can conduct short screenings over the phone to assess appropriate service referral. As commissioner, he oversaw the creation of the Teen Talk Line for mental health support, available to support young people 12 to 18 years old who are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, sad, isolated, or confused.
Mobile mental health crisis teams
Josh was instrumental in spearheading a plan to bring a unique, adaptive, and responsive mobile mental health crisis team to Chester County. Expected to be operational by the end of 2023, teams comprising dedicated professionals (including a certified behavioral health clinician and a peer support specialist) will be on call to be dispatched to mental health crises that cannot be deescalated over the phone, coordinating with other first responders to ensure that the person in crisis is safe, stays safe, and gets the help they need.