Concierge Services: De-Escalation

Broad Street Ministry (BSM) is one the Philadelphia region’s most innovative social service organizations serving individuals experiencing deep poverty through stabilizing services, clinical supports and therapeutic arts programming. This includes healthy meals, case management, a mailing address and ID procurement service, distributing clothing and personal hygiene products and support for returning citizens.

By reducing anxiety and modeling healthy responses to interpersonal conflicts, our de-escalation team enhances connection to community; improves outcomes; and serves as an alternative to traditional security. This model was developed in contrast to the surveillance and policing our guests experience outside of our doors. It addresses correlations between escalated behaviors and triggers, leverages shared lived experiences and relationships, supports guests experiencing mental health crises, and creates a safe environment where guests feel safe and seen. As Community Behavioral Health Workers, our De-escalation Specialists triage our guests’ needs – de-escalating as needed, providing light resource coordination or offering a warm hand-off to BSM social workers or onsite medical provider. This allows our social workers to concentrate their efforts on guests experiencing complex, multiple needs requiring more intensive support–especially for substance abuse treatment and mental health care.