Friday, Aug. 31, 2018

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-742-3922
Email: [email protected]

Plymouth County Outreach to Continue Participation in AmeriCorps Program

EAST BRIDGEWATER — East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen, Plymouth Police Chief Michael Botieri and the other 26 Plymouth County police chiefs are pleased to announce that Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) is going to be participating for a second year in the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I) AmeriCorps program, and will be adding a second outreach coordinator position.

P.A.A.R.I received a three-year grant from the Massachusetts Service Alliance and the Corporation for National and Community Service to support the groundbreaking program. Through AmeriCorps, 25 members were placed at host police departments across eastern Massachusetts to assist with local police-led addiction and recovery programs like PCO.

In the upcoming year, PCO will be continue its partnership with Outreach Coordinator Vicky Butler and Recovery Coaches Kurt Gerold and Sloane Ferenz. The three were recognized earlier this month by P.A.A.R.I at the Arlington Police Department’s first AmeriCorps graduation ceremony.

“It was great seeing Vicky, Kurt and Sloane be recognized during the graduation ceremony,” Chief Botieri said. “They have done such great work for PCO and I am glad that they will be continuing their important work throughout the next year.”

During her time with PCO, Butler has served at the East Bridgewater Police Department and Plymouth Police Department, supporting the program’s initiatives throughout Plymouth County.

Gerold is based in Hull and Hingham and supports outreach visits throughout PCO’s north region. Ferenz is based in Plymouth, where she supports the outreach efforts in the south region.

The second year of PCO’s participation in the P.A.A.R.I AmeriCorps program will begin in October.

“We are thrilled to be continuing our engagement with P.A.A.R.I and the AmeriCorps program,” Chief Allen said. “With their assistance we are able to significantly enhance the vital services that Plymouth County Outreach is able to provide to residents throughout our region.”

The 2018-2019 P.A.A.R.I AmeriCorps Program begins on Oct. 1 and has open positions for recovery coaches and capacity building fellows. P.A.A.R.I is accepting applications on a rolling basis for part-time and full-time positions at several police departments across eastern Massachusetts. More information can be found by clicking here.

“P.A.A.R.I’s mission is to provide resources to help law enforcement agencies combat the opioid epidemic and this innovative program will add significant capacity to our law enforcement partners and utilize service as a solution to address critical community needs,” said P.A.A.R.I Executive Director Allie Hunter McDade. “We are thrilled that Plymouth County Outreach has signed on as a partner for another year with the program.”

Interested applicants can find more information and application instructions here.

About AmeriCorps:

AmeriCorps is a civil society program that engages adults in public service work with a goal of helping others and meeting critical needs in the community. Members commit to full-time or part-time positions offered by a network of nonprofit community organizations and public agencies to fulfill assignments in the fields of education, public safety, healthcare, and environmental protection. There are more than 75,000 Americans in service each year.

About P.A.A.R.I:

The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I) is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to help law enforcement agencies establish pre-arrest programs that create immediate and stigma-free entry points to treatment and recovery programs. P.A.A.R.I works across sectors to provide: training, coaching, and support; program models, policies and procedures, and templates; seed grants; connections to over 300 vetted treatment centers; a network of like-minded law enforcement agencies; a unified voice with media and legislators; and capacity-building through AmeriCorps. P.A.A.R.I is free to join and open to any law enforcement agency that believes in treatment over arrest and views addiction as a disease not a crime. Since June 2015, P.A.A.R.I has launched more than 320 law enforcement programs in 31 states, distributed 10,000 4mg doses of life-saving nasal naloxone, and helped over 12,000 people into treatment.

About Plymouth County Outreach:

Plymouth County Outreach is a collaborative of police departments throughout Plymouth County led by the following chiefs: Abington Chief David Majenski, Bridgewater Chief Christopher Delmonte, Bridgewater State University Chief David Tillinghast, Brockton Chief John Crowley, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Matthew Clancy, East Bridgewater Chief Scott Allen, Halifax Chief Ted Broderick, Hanover Chief Walter Sweeney, Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, Hingham Chief Glenn Olsson, Hull Chief John Dunn, Kingston Chief Maurice Splaine, Lakeville Chief Frank Alvihiera, Marion Chief John Garcia, Marshfield Chief Phillip Tavares, Mattapoisett Chief Mary Lyons, Middleboro Chief Joseph Perkins, Norwell Chief Ted Ross, Pembroke Chief Richard Wall, Plymouth Chief Michael Botieri, Plympton Chief Patrick Dillon, Rochester Chief Paul Magee, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief Kevin Walsh, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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