Delco Tackles Drug Abuse And Mental Health At Chester Summit
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) -- Delaware County hosted a day long legal summit at Widener University discussing two issues that have a major impact on crime, punishment and treatment.
The county courts took the lead in putting this meeting of education, law enforcement, judicial and medical experts together. Delaware County DA Jack Whelan.
"Many people end up with mental health and opioid issues in the criminal justice system," Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan told KYW Newsradio, "and we in the prosecutor's office are dealing with it on a daily basis. Judges are dealing with it every single day in the courtrooms and so it's time to get all the players together."
The county has begun to address the drug issue with police using Narcan, and those getting that rescue drug being referred or forced into a treatment program. But more needs to be done to keep them clean.
On the mental health front, there's discussion on how to house those with serious problems in better settings than prison once they run afoul of the law.
One expert suggested a return to opening special facilities, but not like the asylums that operated in much of the 20th century.
