New Partnerships in SEPTA's SCOPE Initiative
September 29, 2022
In 2021, SEPTA launched an initiative known as SCOPE (Safety, Cleaning, Ownership, Partnerships and Engagement) to address issues that have contributed to service disruptions, hazardous environments, and violent crime.
Recently there has been new developments to this program and new partnerships formed to support and contribute to current efforts. In addition to our current contracts with outreach firms such as Eagle Staffing, Merakey Parkside Recovery, One Day at a Time (ODAAT), and the three security contracts from Extrity, Philadelphia Protection Unit, and Scotland Yard, SEPTA has also partnered with the following agencies to help aid in addressing the issues surrounding safety, cleaning, assaults, and outreach. These partnerships are strategically placed at key locations throughout the system and city to help address issues related to the vulnerable community:
This program is a community-based practicum experience, through which the students learn from the lived experiences of their community Host and develop and apply basic health coaching and health advocacy skills. Providing the students with the opportunity to engage with participants and staff in the SEPTA organization so that they can meet their academic requirements and gain knowledge and community-focused skills as future health professionals. Providing SEPTA with student volunteers, thereby advancing SEPTA’s mission and programs.
This is a new site placement for first year medical students fulfilling their health advocacy practicum requirement. Drexel’s medical students will work in teams of three to assist with the vulnerable population at 69th Street Terminal and engage in peer related activity to encourage and motivate change for individuals being helped. The Drexel students will be responsible for engaging homeless persons, determining needs, offering relevant services, and delivering follow-up. These services will include, but 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.
NET – Northeast Treatments Centers
NET Centers (NET) offers support and hope to individuals and families at times of great stress in their lives. A nonprofit agency, NET provides a continuum of trauma informed behavioral health and social services designed to meet complex needs of all family members. These include mental health, addiction treatment, foster care, residential group care, adoption, juvenile justice services and child welfare services. NET partners with SEPTA to offer outreach and supportive services. This is accomplished by setting up two “Mobil Hub” locations on the Broad Street line every Wednesday at Girard Station and Tasker/Morris Station beginning October 12th, 2022.
Project Reach – Health and Human Services, MDO, City of Philadelphia
In preparation for the return of officer workers in Center City, SEPTA is collaborating with the City of Philadelphia’s Managing Director’s Office of Health and Human Services to expand its current program at Love Park. This program provides three daily touch points by the City’s program partners: 8-10am; 1pm; and 6-7pm. Partners vary by site and include, City Health and Parks and Recreation Departments, United Site Services, Public Properties, OHS and a non-profit homeless service provider.
As SEPTA seeks to expand this program to cover Suburban Station, SEPTA will utilize its existing contracted vendor to continue cleaning the two (2) bathrooms located in the non-paid area. City partners will add SEPTA’s bathrooms in the non-paid area as part of the monitoring rotation to observe and report conditions to the onsite team who is striving to create a safe, clean, and pleasant customer experience for all of riders and non-paying customers traversing through Suburban Station.
VSC is partnering with SEPTA at in several ways through advertising, education, tabling, outreach, mapping or “walking Wednesday” – giving out information and meeting with people at various locations within SEPTA. The goal is to provide advocacy and counseling for all who have been affected by sexual violence and other crimes against the person, and to promote sensitivity and awareness in the community through education. Tabling Events will be held at 69th Street Transportation Center, every last Friday of the month.
WOAR – Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence:
WOAR partners with SEPTA to help educate, distribute, and provide training for its customers and employees. WOAR’s mission is to eliminate all forms of sexual violence through specialized treatment services, comprehensive prevention education programs, and advocacy for the rights of victims of sexual assault. Tabling events will begin on April 25th, 2023, every Monday, at Dilworth Plaza 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As new partnerships are being forged, SEPTA will continue to work endlessly to provide safety and comfort to our customers by making constant developments and improvements to the SCOPE initiatives.
Lastly, we want to remind riders about the tools available for them to communicate with SEPTA Transit Police:
The SEPTA Transit Watch App allows you to discretely report an issue and text with police. And the emergency buttons on the trains and in stations can help facilitate a quick police response. If you see something - please say something. The power is in your pocket!
