PENNSYLVANIA — Recent feature: In its announcement dated , Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) said it will implement the Lethality Assessment Program to help troopers identify domestic-violence survivors at heightened risk of death and connect them with support.
The planned approach pairs a standardized screening process during qualifying police responses with a connection to a local domestic-violence advocate or hotline. PSP describes a coordinated partnership between law enforcement and domestic-violence service providers, rather than screening alone.
What troopers would do
PSP says it has developed training based on the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence's model. That training is intended to enable troopers responding to qualifying domestic-violence incidents to identify factors associated with increased risk of homicide through standardized lethality screening.
When a person is identified as being at elevated risk, troopers can facilitate an immediate connection with a local advocate or hotline, according to the release. PSP says that connection gives survivors access to safety planning, advocacy, shelter referrals and other available services.
A planned addition to an existing partnership
The announcement places PSP's plans within a longer-running effort. Pennsylvania has supported municipal agencies participating in the program since 2012 through partnerships involving the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the coalition, according to PSP.
The release also describes advocates seeking State Police participation particularly for rural communities PSP covers. The useful service connection outlined in the announcement is between a police response and specialized domestic-violence support; it is not a promise of a particular outcome for any survivor.
This recent feature reports the October 30, 2026 announcement, not a newly reported domestic-violence incident. The release uses future-facing implementation language and says training has been developed; it does not establish that every trooper has completed training or that screening is already operating in every county.