Welcome to:
Our History
Montgomery County Emergency Service, Inc.
In 1971 Montgomery County MH-MR Emergency Service and Eagleville Hospital were given 20 beds by Montgomery County Commissioners to treat those suffering from a mental illness or drug addiction who would otherwise been jailed.
After being encourage by its results Montgomery County Commissioners released $10,000 to Montgomery County MH-MR Emergency Service to help organize and establish the program which would be located at Building 16 Norristown State Hospital.
Opening the DoorsOn Wednesday February 27th 1974 at 10:30 am Montgomery County Commissioners: A. Russell Parkhouse, Frank W. Jenkins and Lawrence H. Curry officially opened Montgomery County MH-MR Emergency Service as a 24 hour mental health, drug and alcohol emergency service facility headed by Dr. Angelo Zosa, a specialist in neurology and psychiatry.
Dr. Zosa was joined by Frederick Forte a former combat medic in Vietnam and drug and alcohol abuse coordinator in Delaware County.
MCES began to staff itself with experienced mental health workers to handle phone referrals, counseling, emergency transportation, follow-up services and develop a crisis intervention outreach team.
Also, at that time, Montgomery County gave delegate authority to those trained staff of MCES in assisting those in need of involuntary treatment.
An idea pushed by various representatives of the mental health, criminal justice and drug/alcohol field of Montgomery County to provide an alternative to incarceration and to give back dignity to the mentally ill and chemically addicted is now in operation.
Moving ForwardOver the years MCES has adjusted and adapted well to changes in:
Personnel, politics, introduction of managed care, budget cuts and population.
Its basic idea to bring care and dignity to those who suffer in our community has allowed MCES to step over the obstacles others have miscalculated.