Policy Panel: The Opioid Epidemic’s Impact on Public Health and Safety: Emergence of Pre-Arrest Diversion

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

More than 400 police departments have initiated pre-arrest diversion or deflection efforts, primarily for individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. At least five frameworks exist regarding how the police interact and “hand-off” individuals with service and/or treatment providers including self-referrals, active outreach, naloxone plus, officer prevention referrals, and officer intervention referrals. This panel presentation will present various perspectives on this trend with an emphasis on how police interact with service/treatment agencies, manage calls for service, address disorder and descalation issues as well as frame policies and procedures.

Sub Unit

• Policy Panels

Individual Presentations

• Research - Jennifer Woods, Temple University

• Advocacy - Jac A. Charlier, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities

• Treatment - Leslie Balonick, WestCare Foundation, Inc.

Discussant

• Faye Taxman, George Mason University