It’s been one year since Jaqui Stilson joined Mt. Lebanon as the first-ever social services coordinator. She’s housed within the Mt. Lebanon Police Department, sharing expertise and information with officers on mental health best practices.
For example, Stilson taught officers suicide prevention and detection using a modified version of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, a tool widely used by mental health professionals to assess a person’s safety, but one that may be unfamiliar to law enforcement officers.
“Jaqui has become a valuable resource for the department/municipality and the citizens we serve,” said Deputy Chief of Support Services Dan Cuiffi. “She has been instrumental in delivering mental health resources to those who aren’t familiar with a system that can, sometimes, be hard to navigate.”
Since the last time Mt. Lebanon Magazine wrote about the new social services coordinator role in November 2024, many police departments in southwestern Pennsylvania have added similar positions. Stilson helped train a newly hired social worker at Peters Township Police Department.
Stilson described Mt. Lebanon police as welcoming, receptive and eager to learn. “The officers here really do want to help you,” she said. Working in the department allows her an inside view of law enforcement, where “we have those human moments together.”
The social services coordinator is a resource for the entire Mt. Lebanon community. She can help residents dealing with a variety of behavioral, mental or social needs, with supportive care, referrals to appropriate resources and assistance in applying for benefits.
Stilson holds open office hours at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. She’s been instrumental in Operation Lego, an event where police officers and kids connect over LEGO creations at the library. “It’s been a hit,” she noted.
She hopes to create a speaker series at the library, targeted to community needs, such as what to do when looking for a senior care facility or how parents can find an assessment for their child.
Stilson has worked with other community groups in her first year as well, from churches to the volunteer network Lebo Mutual Aid. Stilson and Rev. Erin Morley of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church provide bus tickets to people stranded in Mt. Lebanon without transportation, taking a burden off the officers who would’ve given them rides in the past. Stilson’s also teamed up with Adrienne Totino of Lebo Mutual Aid to give social support to seniors, as well as financial and food assistance to those in crisis. The volunteers “fill in the gap where the traditional system might fall through,” Stilson said.
Additionally, Stilson created an internship program and hired Sophia Caruso, a masters-level student at Chatham University studying counseling psychology.
Stilson hopes to formalize a short-term counseling program for residents waiting for a permanent therapist. In the meantime, Caruso will offer free short-term counseling to residents during her internship, which runs until April 2026. Stilson, a licensed clinician, will supervise the interactions. It’s a way for a counseling student to gain experience and residents to get free mental health support.
Anyone interested in these services should call 412-440-2043 or email ssc@mtlebanon.org [1].