Council approves expanded behavioral health funding for police response; adds part‑time clinician

City Council voted unanimously on July 14 to accept up to $113,000 in additional federal grant funding from the Delaware Criminal Justice Council’s Connect and Protect program and to approve a change order to the existing contract to add a part-time mental health clinician to the Newark Police Department’s behavioral health unit.

Deputy Chief Kevin Feeney described the existing program: the department received $103,600 in federal funding in April 2024 to contract a full-time behavioral-health case manager through ChristianaCare’s Center for Community Health and Empowerment; the unit launched in January 2025 and, as of May, the case manager had received 166 referrals and helped connect numerous people in crisis to community supports. The additional award would sustain the existing position (grant funds currently project to be exhausted by January 2026) and add a part-time clinician, paying for staffing and related services; the grant requires a 1:1 in‑kind city match.

Councilmembers asked whether the expanded services would provide 24/7 coverage; Feeney and staff said the part-time clinician would not create true 24/7 staffing but would strengthen daytime clinical response and case follow-up; state-provided services remain available outside program hours. Deputy Chief and councilmembers described the program’s early success and said added clinical staff would ease burdens on first responders and improve connections to community care.

Public comment from a resident praised the department and suggested coordination with local behavioral-health providers. Council approved the budget amendment and contract change order by unanimous vote; staff will continue to coordinate with ChristianaCare and report on program outcomes.