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PTACC Ticker
Wednesday, July 22nd
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An Open Letter in Response to the President’s Executive Order on Safe Policing
Section 4. Mental Health, Homelessness, and Addiction
An open letter, from over 17 behavioral health and diversion organizations, responds to the statement made in the President’s Executive Order on Safe Policing & Safe Communities, stating that to move responsibility away from law enforcement to appropriate social service providers. The open letter asserts that there is a need to take action beyond increasing the capacity of social workers and other mental health professionals to work alongside law enforcement. Said action would require communities to develop crisis system capacity so that behavioral health system providers are available to address urgent and emergent behavioral health needs independently of law enforcement services.
The letter lists Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) One Mind Campaign; Police, Treatment and Community Collaborative (PTACC); Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD); and other models of law enforcement/behavioral health partnerships. These initiatives support collaborations that transform crisis response systems to minimize law enforcement involvement while ensuring that police and behavioral health providers are prepared to co-respond to situations only when necessary. Read the full statement here.
Peer Recovery Mentorship Opportunity
Peer Recovery Support Services Mentoring Initiative (PRSSMI)
The PRSSMI supports organizations or jurisdictions interested in sharing their expertise or incorporating peer recovery support services into their substance abuse intervention and treatment strategies. Altarum is facilitating the selection processes for both the PRSSMI mentor and mentee sites. Details about this peer-to-peer learning initiative, including application forms and submission links, are highlighted in this announcement and fully outlined here.
This program is part of the training and technical assistance (TTA) resources available to local jurisdictions through BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP).
Article: New York Times
In Shadow of Pandemic, U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Resurge to Record Higb
Drug deaths in America, which fell for the first time in 25 years in 2018, rose to record numbers in 2019 and are continuing to climb, a resurgence that is being complicated and perhaps worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — an increase of 5 percent from 2018. The 2018 decline was largely explained by reductions in deaths from prescription opioid medications; those declines appear to have been overrun by continued increases in deaths from illicit drugs, particularly methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
The isolation of quarantine comes with practical dangers as well: Using drugs alone is more dangerous than doing so with others; in-person treatment vastly curtailed; and drug users have not been able to maintain their normal consumption habits during the pandemic--either because they have lost income and can no longer afford to buy drugs as often or because their local supply has been disrupted-- less use would lead to lower tolerance, putting people at much higher risk of overdosing when they do get access to drugs. Read the full article here.
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Did you see it?
Job Listing: Director of Criminal Justice Research, Policing
Arnold Ventures is seeking a Director of Criminal Justice Research, Policing to establish a policing research agenda, lead research projects, and provide strategic research-related advice across the Arnold Venture's Criminal Justice team.
IACP Fact Sheet
PTACC National Founding Partner, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP),posted a document on pre-arrest diversion on their new Community-Police Engagement page. This factsheet outlines collaborative pre-arrest diversion strategies that offer connections to treatment and recovery for individuals in need, while enhancing community safety and engagement. Access the fact sheet here.
Congressional Briefing: National Association of Social Worker
A congressional briefing on June 30, 2020, Black Lives Matter: Social Work and the Future of Policing, was sponsored in part by PTACC National Partner, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). A policy brief "Social Work and the Future of Policing: Key points for changes in policy and practice" is available, and proposes key elements for changes in policy and practice.
Journal Article: A discussion of 'discursive struggles' between justice sanctions and health interventions
Amidst growing recognition that people who use drugs are often vulnerable and in need of health focused support, international conventions and national priorities on personal drug use are changing-- the emphasis shifting from criminal justice to health narratives. An article authored by Price, T., Parkes, T. & Malloch, M., addresses this evolution: "'Discursive struggles' between criminal justice sanctions and health interventions for people who use drugs: a qualitative exploration of diversion policy and practice in Scotland." Access the article here.
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
A study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, by Scott Hoke, Kerrie Baker, and Kristen Wenrich, looks at the attitudes of police officers towards pre-arrest booking programs. This research study assessed officer attitudes toward the training and execution of one such diversionary program in two urban police departments. Read the full study here.
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Want to get involved in the growing field of
deflection and pre-arrest diversion?
Then join a PTACC Strategy Area! Click Here
Check It Out! The PTACC National Pre-Arrest Diversion Resource Website
PTACC is the NATIONAL voice of the pre-arrest diversion field and provides vision, leadership, advocacy, and education to facilitate the growth and practice of deflection and pre-arrest diversion across the United States.
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