November 10, 2026
Provided Image/SEPTA
Social outreach specialists in purple vests are being deployed to SEPTA stops around the transit system to connect 'vulnerable' people to local resources.
Purple-vested social outreach specialists have started to patrol SEPTA stations to connect people struggling with homelessness, mental illness or addiction to a host of local resources.
The transit authority’s newly launched Reach program on Tuesday started deploying members of Citizens Acting Together Can Help, a South Philly nonprofit, to "hotspots" for social vulnerabilities along the system.
During weekdays over the next year, staff will engage with "vulnerable" people who seek refuge in SEPTA stops and offer them transportation to community services that provide housing, mental health resources, recovery support, veterans resources and more, the authority said Tuesday. Anyone who declines assistance will be asked to leave the system. Specialists may also request police assistance if a situation escalates.
Staff members will have access to safety reports that are submitted by riders through the SEPTA app and customer service center. Reach will operate as a division of SEPTA Transit Police and work closely with its officers.
"This program will be a critical component of our enforcement approach to address issues related to the vulnerable community and reduce quality-of-life complaints," SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said in a statement. "The outreach specialists will serve as a force multiplier and address hotspots based on data and reports received directly from our customers."
Representatives with CATCH Inc. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
SEPTA is encouraging community groups to reach out and collaborate.
"By helping connect vulnerable individuals to services and support, SEPTA is working to build a safer, more welcoming environment for everyone who relies on our system," SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said in a statement. "Through our ongoing collaborative work, SEPTA has formed critical partnerships with government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare providers and the community to address these challenges compassionately while maintaining SEPTA's core responsibility to provide safe and reliable transportation."
