Greenwich Police announced on Wednesday that their Detectives have been working collaboratively with social workers from Greenwich’s Dept of Human Services to do outreach to residents known to be struggling with drug addiction.
The intent is to steer people toward treatment rather than the criminal justice system.
The program has been running for over a month and 10 people struggling with addiction have been contacted.
Police say the program has been considered a success as several individuals have entered a variety of treatment programs.
“This is a dynamic issue with no easy solutions—one person contacted and directed to services later overdosed on opioids,” Captain Berry said in the statement released Wednesday. “However, each time someone breaks the chain of addiction, another life is saved.”
As a result of a recent multi-state drug investigation involving Greenwich Police and law enforcement authorities from Westchester County, seven suspects were indicted in New York for selling and distributing narcotics in Connecticut and New York.
Greenwich Police asked to partner with Human Services social workers in order to reach out to those people identified in the investigation as not involved in dealing narcotics but suffering from addiction.
The contact team includes two detectives and a social worker. They coordinate a meeting time with each person in a non-confrontational setting in order to explain options for addiction treatment, including in- and out-patient services.
After introducing the social worker, the detectives usually withdraw from the meeting to allow the social worker to speak confidentially with the prospective client.
“Even with some setbacks, hope continues that this program and other treatment options may continue to assist individuals and their families overcome the challenge of addiction,” Berry wrote.
Additional information on dealing with drug addiction is available at the following websites:
www.GreenwithTogether.org (Coming Soon) www.communities4action.org