New pilot program designed to have alternate responders address some 911 calls in Allegheny County

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Every day there are 911 calls across the county, but first responders can’t always address the caller’s needs.

“Ultimately we are here to help people, but sometimes you leave a call feeling empty thinking I could have done more but there wasn’t much I could have done,” said McKees Rocks Police Chief Richard Deliman.

That’s why McKees Rocks Police joined a pilot program through the Allegheny County Department of Human Services to have alternate responders or the A-team respond to some of these calls.

“Sometimes individuals don’t have the right training, or right resources or connections compared to this type of team who is made up of a wide range who are trained to deescalate connect people to services and get them the help they need,” said Jon Chillinsky who’s the Director of the A-Team.

The goal is to reduce the number of calls coming into 911 for these types of emergencies. The team is made up of 28 people, three teams split between the East and West sides of the county. They can respond with police, following police or as an alternative to police.

“A call we went on was a domestic issue, where there was conflict in the home, we were able to intervene talk to the parties separate and mediate but connect them to services,” Chillinsky said.

But ultimately the decision on if the A-Team is called comes down to the police themselves. McKees Rocks isn’t alone as Penn Hills Police, Monroeville Police and the County Housing Authority Police have all joined the project.

“I think there’s already over 100 calls at this point they’ve been able to go on. We’ve also been able to provide follow up services, short term care so we aren’t just helping in the moment of the crisis, but helping afterwards that they are connected with supports and services,” said Kate Vander Wiede who’s the Project Manager at DHS.

While it’s new, the goal is big while supporting the people of our communities.

“In the city of bridges, this bridges the gap, we connect people to the right resource,” Chillinsky said.

With three municipalities and the Housing Authority already on board, the goal is to expand through the county in the coming years.

“We care about the health of our residents and want them to get the supports they need,” Vander Weide said.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group