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Council allocates $9,561.33 from opioid settlement to support crisis co‑responder program
Summary
Council approved a $9,561.33 allocation from the Pennsylvania opioid settlement to the Center for Community Resources to support a city crisis co‑responder position, which pairs a mental‑health/addiction specialist with police to deescalate incidents and connect residents to services.
Lock Haven City Council approved the allocation of $9,561.33 in opioid settlement funds to the Center for Community Resources to continue the city’s crisis co‑responder program.
The funds represent the remaining qualifying disbursement from the 2022–23 settlement tranche and must be disbursed by Dec. 31, council staff said. The co‑responder program places a mental‑health and substance‑use specialist alongside police on appropriate 9‑1‑1 calls to deescalate incidents, link people to services, and reduce reliance on criminal‑justice responses.
Eliza (Liza) Shaw, the city’s crisis co‑responder, described her background in EMS, drug and alcohol work and drug‑court supervision and said the position has been adaptable to a range of calls, from welfare checks to death notifications and arranging transport to rehabilitation. Several council members and residents praised the program’s local impact, noting visible responses in the community and the program’s role in assisting people experiencing homelessness and addiction.
A motion to allocate the $9,561.33 to the Center for Community Resources was made, seconded and approved by roll call.
