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behavioral health

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The Mental Health Safety Net Coalition (MHSN) is a group of stakeholders participating in a joint advocacy effort to protect and preserve our mental health service delivery system. This week’s communication urges the General Assembly to end the budget impasse to ensure the system’s ability to provide care. Without a budget, community mental health services will not receive any payment, putting vulnerable Pennsylvanians at risk.

The full letter can be read here.

Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions or if you are interested in joining the coalition.

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Overview

The Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (“Byrne SCIP”) is a grant administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). These are federal funds that Pennsylvania receives from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). State governments may use these monies to fund “state, local, and tribal efforts to prevent or reduce crime and violence” in accordance with an approved Byrne SCIP Plan.

This AOPC announcement briefly highlights several funding opportunities in Pennsylvania’s approved plan that relate to the intersection of courts and behavioral health, specifically “Priority Area #1: Equip Pennsylvania communities with training and resources to respond holistically to behavioral health crises.”

Please see PCCD’s entire funding announcement here. Grant application and administrative guides can be accessed on PCCD’s website under the Funding section.

Priority Area #1 Objectives:

  • Support behavioral health responses in local jurisdictions across Pennsylvania.
  • Support efforts to embed advocates and peer navigators within the justice system.
  • Build capacity to offer free SIM workshops statewide, commencing in 2026.

The SCIP grant is an excellent opportunity for governmental agencies to obtain funding for specific behavioral health-related purposes that benefit citizens and criminal-legal system actors. Approved funding opportunities include:

  • Establishing the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Technical Assistance Center to provide law enforcement training opportunities.
  • A county SIM-Mapping initiative that trains in-house SIM facilitators to provide free workshops to counties. Facilitators will be trained in 2026 and allow counties to receive both adult and upstream SIM workshops at no cost.
  • Apply for local grants for virtually any project related to the Pennsylvania Courts’ Behavioral Health Initiative. Suggested projects include peer navigators; implementing pretrial programs; expanding the capacity of mental health courts; and developing or expanding the ability to connect individuals in crisis with services.

Eligibility & Deadlines:

  • Your recipient agency must be a local government office. Cities, counties, townships, and towns may apply for funding.
  • Subrecipients are eligible for support through primary recipient offices. For instance, a city funded through a SCIP grant may award part of their fund to their Police Department as a subgrant.
  • Your organization must be registered in the Pennsylvania eGrants system.
    • At least two organization members must have eGrants user roles. At least one individual must have an e-signature role within eGrants.

The deadline for applying is September 9, 2025.

  • For further information, see the funding announcement here. You may contact PCCD about the Byrne-SCIP Initiative by email. Emails must be sent by September 2, 2025, to receive assistance.
  • For difficulties with the eGrants system, you may contact the eGrants help desk by phone at (717) 787-5887 or (800) 692-7292 or by email.

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

Kehinde “Kenny” Solanke, MSW, LSW, will become Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), effective September 2. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the selection of Solanke for the role on July 30. Solanke succeeds Interim Commissioner Marquita Williams and former Commissioner Jill Bowen.

As Commissioner, Solanke sets the vision and direction for the entire department. She administers all six DBHIDS divisions and is responsible for aligning priorities, coordinating efforts, and ensuring that everything the 1,000-plus team members do reflects the DBHIDS mission, vision, and values.

Solanke oversees a vast network of providers offering treatment and services to address mental health challenges, substance misuse, and the impact of social determinants of health on behavioral health and wellness.

Solanke most recently served as Senior Director of Operations for Crisis Services at DBHIDS, where she led transformative citywide initiatives, including the implementation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, expansion of 24/7 mobile crisis teams, and the launch of Philadelphia’s first Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center. She has also overseen critical city responses, including DBHIDS’s behavioral health strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, managed multi-million-dollar funding portfolios, and championed the department’s equity framework to align services with community needs.

Throughout her career, Solanke has been a respected thought leader and advocate for transforming public behavioral health systems. She has testified before City Council, chaired statewide policy work groups, and represented Philadelphia at national forums — including coordinating with the US Secretary of Health and Human Services to mark the national rollout of 988. Her work has positioned Philadelphia as a leader in crisis system transformation while deepening public trust and strengthening the behavioral health safety net for thousands of residents.

A licensed social worker, Solanke holds a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University and has spent her career within the city’s behavioral health ecosystem, serving previously as Director of Policy and Planning at DBHIDS and Director of Clinical Management at the DBHIDS Division of Community Behavioral Health (CBH).

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