Through its ongoing collaborative work, SEPTA continues its role of moving people not only to their destinations but to action by bringing partners and solutions together in our community.
In the 18 months since its creation, SEPTA’s SCOPE team has worked relentlessly to nurture and build a network of partners. Together, our goal is to help the authority mitigate the challenges of the vulnerable population on the system and address the issues surrounding safety, cleanliness, crime and outreach.
Currently, SCOPE has contracts with the following outreach firms: Eagle Staffing, Merakey Parkside Recovery and One Day at a Time (ODAAT). These outreach firms work to guide vulnerable populations off the SEPTA system by engaging, building trust and assessing needs. Further, outreach firms help connect and refer vulnerable populations to different supportive services including mental/behavioral health, emergency shelters and social services across the city.
SEPTA’s outreach workers are addressing the crisis of homelessness on our transit system with a structured, compassionate approach grounded in established mental health practices. This process includes:
- Rapport Building: Greet and connect with individuals.
- Assessment: Ask how they are doing.
- Treatment: Inform them of available care and services off the SEPTA system.
- Follow-Up: Offer to connect them to specific help and ask them to leave SEPTA property.
SEPTA has also acquired three security contracts from Extrity, Philadelphia Protection Unit and Scotlandyard Security to establish a presence throughout the system. In addition to these contracts, SEPTA has formed critical partnerships to leverage existing community services with academic institutions and organizations, including Cabrini University, Drexel University, Northeast Treatment Centers and victim services centers in Delaware and Philadelphia counties. These partnerships are strategically placed at key locations throughout the system to augment our outreach efforts and help address issues related to the vulnerable community.
Every day, our SCOPE teams work together with SEPTA’s Transit Police to ensure a safe working environment for all SEPTA employees. With the help of our partners, our goal is to provide a clean and safe transportation system to riders and connect vulnerable individuals to social services so they can reintegrate into society and improve their quality of life.
“Building these partnerships takes tremendous effort but we are committed to leveraging every resource available and collaborating with diverse experts whose work complements our SCOPE strategy.”
Ken Divers, Director of Outreach Services
Partner Programs:
Cabrini’s Health Navigators are part of the university’s community-based practicum experience. Through the program, students learn from the lived experiences of their community host to develop and apply basic health coaching and health advocacy skills.
Students have the opportunity to engage with participants and staff in the SEPTA organization. Students not only meet their academic requirements but gain knowledge and community-focused skills as future health professionals.
The mission of the Delaware County Victim Assistance Center (DVAC) is to provide advocacy and counseling for all who have been affected by sexual violence and other crimes against the person. DVAC also promotes sensitivity and awareness in the community through education.
Drexel’s Health Navigators are first-year medical students fulfilling their health advocacy practicum requirement. The Drexel students are responsible for engaging individuals experiencing homelessness then determining needs, offering relevant services and delivering follow-up.
These services will include, but are not limited to, linkages to health and social services, transitional housing, treatment and other wraparound services to support the vulnerable population on SEPTA’s system.
Montgomery County Vulnerable Population Task Force was created as a response to the issues of homelessness in and around SEPTA stations in Montgomery County. The task force includes a group from diverse branches, positions and spaces with different points of view to develop ideas, create new opportunities and answer questions to address the vulnerable population in Montgomery County. The group has proven outcomes based on relationships, for example the Cabrini student resources come directly from the outreach access teams from central behavior health. Based on the needs and arising issues the task force continues to grow with new stakeholders. Through the dedicated work of stakeholders, the task force has been able to make progress in addressing the needs of the vulnerable populations.
Stakeholders include:
- CADCOM
- Colonial Area Anti-Racism and Social Equity Alliance (CAARSEA)
- Norristown Hospitality Center
- HopeWorx, Inc.
- Victim Services Center of Montgomery County
- Access Services
- Your Way Home
- Central Behavioral Health
- Gaudenzia
- Pottstown Beacon of Hope
- Montgomery County Intermediate Unit
- Montgomery County Administrator for Housing & Community Development
- Montgomery County Health Department
- Norristown Police Department
- Einstein Medical Center
- PECO
- Cabrini University
Northeast Treatment Centers is a nonprofit agency providing trauma-informed behavioral health and social services designed to meet the needs of individuals and families at times of stress in their lives.
Services include mental health treatment, addiction treatment, foster care, residential group care, adoption, juvenile justice services and child welfare services. This is accomplished by setting up two “Mobile Hub” locations on the Broad Street Line [B].
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Public Restroom Specialists: City partners will add SEPTA’s bathrooms in the non-paid area as part of the monitoring rotation. Their role is to observe and report conditions to the onsite team who is striving to create a safe, clean and pleasant customer experience for riders and non-paying customers at Suburban Station.
Environmental Services/Project REACH: Responsible for installing and maintaining needle boxes in several SEPTA stations.
PHD Smoking Program (Tobacco Policy and Control Program): The Pennsylvania Statewide Tobacco-Free Recovery Initiative (PA STFRI) envisions behavioral health systems that integrate tobacco use disorder treatment and tobacco-free services in pursuit of the highest quality of care and best possible treatment outcomes.
The Hub of Hope offers a safe place where people who are experiencing homelessness can enjoy a warm cup of coffee, take a shower, wash their laundry and speak to peers or resource coordinators. The goal is to begin the process of finding a permanent home. In addition to social services, the Hub of Hope offers a range of health care services, including primary medical care, behavioral health care and reproductive health services.