Alexis Moyer, left, at the county award ceremony (Credit: Crimewatch)
Alexis Moyer received the NAMI Montgomery County Criminal Justice Award for her work helping those in crisis through Lansdale’s co-responder program
Lansdale Police’s Mental Health Co-responder Alexis Moyer was honored last month with the Criminal Justice Award by National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Montgomery County PA.
According to the department, the prestigious award highlights Moyer’s unwavering dedication to improving the connection between mental health services and law enforcement in the community.
“Alexis plays a critical role in the success of our co-responder program, helping to ensure individuals in crisis receive the care and support they need — safely and compassionately. Her efforts have led to more informed responses, better outcomes for those struggling with mental health issues, and stronger collaboration across agencies,” police said in a public statement.
Police further congratulated and thanked Moyer for her compassion, professionalism and commitment to service daily.
“We are honored to have Alexis on our team,” police said.
According to The Reporter, after the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, Lansdale police and borough council worked with area police and local nonprofits and agencies, to respond to homelessness and mental health issues caused or worsened by the pandemic.
Those joint efforts grew into regular meetings of the “North Penn HUB,” a collaborative of local police departments and agencies that meet monthly to solve problems they all encounter, work that includes Merakey, the local chapter of a national nonprofit that connects those in need of services with adult behavioral health, autism, addiction recovery, veterans’ aid, aging, child and family, and other services.
Alexis Moyer (Credit: Lansdale Police)In April 2023, council issued an RFP for a mental health co-responder, and that June awarded a contract to Merakey, to develop a mental health co-responder program that would respond along with police to certain types of emergency calls.
That program went live in late August 2023, then police reported in October 2023 on her early successes, and Moyer herself gave a first report to the public safety committee in February 2024 about her work thus far.
Last summer, Lansdale Police Chief Mike Trail added that since starting in September 2023, Moyer had more than 500 formal contacts with members of the community.
“What we’re doing here is the best practices approach, to working with persons in crisis in our community. It’s effective. The model is now being validated by all of the communities that are embracing that model,” Trail said last summer.
Police have asked council to seek continued grant funding for the position, and to possibly add a second co-responder.
In a December 2024 interview with North Penn Advocates, Moyer said her greatest joy is knowing she was able to help someone succeed.
“I hold hope in my heart for each one of them, even when they have no hope. I have found that many of the individuals who have nothing are the most giving and appreciative people,” she said in the interview.
Moyer told North Penn Advocates that the unhoused population in the region faces deep-rooted and multifaceted challenges, many of which extend beyond simple lack of housing.
“There are no shelter beds available anywhere in Montgomery County,” she said, noting that even those who are employed or want to work struggle due to systemic barriers like lack of identification or past criminal records. Moyer stressed that compassion is just as critical as resources and urged residents to keep an open mind.
“It’s a complex problem,” she said, “and compassion as well as resources are needed.”
Despite the challenges, Moyer said she has witnessed meaningful progress among many individuals she serves. Through consistent visits and relationship building, she has helped connect unhoused residents with food, hygiene resources, healthcare, and more.
“I am a constant force, someone they can depend upon,” Moyer said.
