Council: DCED approves police social-worker program funded by CDBG-CV

Borough Manager Jess Novinger told Council that the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has approved the Milton Police Department’s social-worker program using CDBG-CV funding. Novinger said she and Police Chief Zettlemoyer will meet with SEDA-COG, Northumberland County mental and behavioral health representatives, and the Center for Community Resources to finalize program details and launch the service once partners review the draft press release.

Novinger described the approval as a funding-dependent next step rather than an immediate program start; she said partner organizations must confirm roles and procedures before the borough issues a formal press release. The program was presented as an effort to link officers with behavioral-health resources rather than having police carry the full burden of crisis response. No start date or budget breakdown beyond the CDBG-CV source was specified.