Implementation Practicalities and Outcomes for Police Deflection Programs Focused on Overdose and Mental Health Outreach

• In Event: Harm Reduction? Reducing Overdoses and Other Drug-Related Harms

Abstract

Law enforcement has taken on new roles and responsibilities to address opioid overdoses and mental health (MH) issues in their communities. Deflection programs aim to reduce reliance on arrests and facilitate connections to community-based behavioral health services. Such programmatic responses by police departments vary in nature, ranging from officer Naloxone delivery and Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to developing post-overdose response teams and creating treatment referral programs led by civilians embedded in agencies. The present moment necessitates taking stock of promising practices, program limitations, and opportunities for better collaboration between criminal justice and public health practitioners.
Delaware police practice all types and size of deflection models. This presentation reports on research findings and experiences of practitioner-researcher deflection programs. The presentation focuses on the different types of deflection models employed in Delaware and provides evidence of programmatic impacts, including reductions in the incidence of fatal and nonfatal overdoses, the magnitude of persons deflected from incarceration and hospitals, and the associated cost savings. Discussion will also focus on the challenges and possibilities of implementing deflection models statewide across departments of varying sizes serving different populations.

Authors

• Valerie Tickle, Delaware Criminal Justice Council

• Kimberly Kirk, Delaware Criminal Justice Council

• Adam Gavnik, University of Delaware

• Jullianne Regalado, University of Delaware

• Daniel OConnell, Center for Drug and Health Studies, University of Delaware