Delco Council Ends Crozer Health Disaster Declaration

County secures ambulance coverage after collapse of major health system

Feb. 27, 2026 at 10:23am

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Delaware County Council has voted unanimously to end the disaster declaration it issued last year following the collapse of the Crozer Health system. The county worked to help communities find alternative emergency medical services after Crozer, which once provided ambulance coverage to over half the county, closed its hospitals due to bankruptcy.

Why it matters

The end of the disaster declaration signals that the county has successfully navigated the fallout from Crozer Health's closure, ensuring residents continue to have access to critical ambulance services. This is an important milestone for the county as it recovers from the disruption caused by the loss of a major healthcare provider.

The details

Crozer Health, a four-hospital system, filed for bankruptcy in January 2025 after its California-based parent company Prospect Medical Holdings closed the system's two remaining hospitals in the spring. In response, Delaware County issued a disaster declaration in April 2025 to help communities find alternative emergency medical services to replace Crozer's ambulance coverage, which had served over half the county. The county worked with the Foundation for Delaware County to secure funding to support communities in establishing their own ambulance contracts.

  • In January 2025, Crozer Health's parent company Prospect Medical Holdings filed for bankruptcy.
  • In the spring of 2025, Prospect closed Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, the two remaining Crozer Health hospitals.
  • In April 2025, Delaware County issued a disaster declaration to help communities find alternative emergency medical services.
  • On February 20, 2026, Delaware County Council voted unanimously to end the disaster declaration.

The players

Delaware County Council

The governing body of Delaware County, Pennsylvania that voted to end the disaster declaration related to the collapse of the Crozer Health system.

Crozer Health

A four-hospital health system that once provided ambulance coverage to over half of Delaware County before filing for bankruptcy and closing its facilities in 2025.

Prospect Medical Holdings

The California-based parent company of Crozer Health that filed for bankruptcy in January 2025, leading to the closure of Crozer's hospitals.

Foundation for Delaware County

A nonprofit organization that helped the county secure funding to support communities in establishing their own ambulance contracts after Crozer Health's collapse.

Barbara O'Malley

The county executive director of Delaware County.

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What they’re saying

“This resolution was put into place to deal with certain consequences relating to largely emergency services, I believe. At this juncture, all of our municipalities have contractual arrangements in place for emergency medical services. I'm sure that will continue to evolve, but there's really no need to keep the disaster declaration going.”

— Christine Reuther, Delaware County Councilmember (whyy.org)

“Through the work of the county, we were able to identify funds and County Council had an instrumental role. We thank the Foundation for Delaware County for helping us to provide funding for communities to ensure that coverage was available to all Delaware County residents. Since that time, all of our communities have been able to establish their own contracts.”

— Barbara O'Malley, County Executive Director (whyy.org)

What’s next

The county will continue to monitor the emergency medical services landscape and work with communities to ensure residents have access to reliable ambulance coverage.

The takeaway

Delaware County's decisive action to secure alternative ambulance services after the collapse of Crozer Health demonstrates its commitment to maintaining critical public safety infrastructure for its residents, even in the face of a major healthcare system failure.