Plymouth County Outreach

Plymouth County Highlighted in State Report on Decline of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths

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Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Plymouth County Highlighted in State Report on Decline of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths

The Police Chiefs of Plymouth County and Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) are pleased to announce that the county was singled-out and recognized by the state today for the many ongoing efforts countywide in helping to reduce the number of opioid-related overdose deaths.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued its quarterly report on opioid-related overdose deaths among Massachusetts residents today. The report states that overdose deaths in Massachusetts are continuing to decline, falling an estimated four percent between 2016 and 2018. The statistics in Plymouth County show even better results.

“While the report shows a decline in the opioid-related overdose death rate statewide, there were also particularly notable declines in some pockets of the state. One such place was in Plymouth County, including the city of Brockton, which experienced a notable decrease in deaths in 2018 compared with 2017,” the report states.

In its county-by-county report, the state DPH indicates that there was a 26% drop in overdose deaths in Plymouth County from 2017 to 2018.

In March, Plymouth County Outreach released the data from its 2018 Annual Report, showing a more conservative, but still impactful 18 percent decrease in fatal overdoses and a 13 percent decrease in non-fatal overdoses in Plymouth County, compared to 2017. It should be noted that the data compiled by PCO is collected differently than the data compiled by state, thus the difference in percentages.

“To see Plymouth County recognized in the state’s report only further validates the hard work that we have been doing with Plymouth County Outreach over the past few years,” East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen said. “As our outreach efforts and capabilities continue to expand and grow, we hope to see those numbers drop further until they are down to zero.”

Last October, PCO was awarded the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Leadership in Community Policing Award.

In addition, PCO is currently eight months into a two-year, federal Bureau of Justice Assistance grant (Comprehensive Opioid Site-Based Program grant), which is providing $496,000 to PCO to expand and build upon the great work of the coalition throughout the county.

Earlier today, the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) announced that P.A.A.R.I. has been awarded a $930,000 Integrative Behavioral Health grant by South Shore Health.

South Shore Health awarded $2.4 million to nonprofit groups this spring to support behavioral healthcare in Plymouth and Norfolk counties. P.A.A.R.I. was one of two nonprofit groups selected to receive a five-year grant for $930,000 this cycle.

The grant will support a new partnership between P.A.A.R.I. and Plymouth County Outreach. Over the next five years, P.A.A.R.I. will work with PCO to implement a “hub model” throughout the county to expand the behavioral health services available to the community, and coordinate outreach visits for individuals identified as being at acutely elevated risk due to substance use and/or mental health issues.

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, Brockton Police Lt. Richard Linehan, 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 Robert Small, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief John Walcek, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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P.A.A.R.I. Receives $930,000 Grant from South Shore Health

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

P.A.A.R.I. Receives $930,000 Grant from South Shore Health

Funding will Support Access to Behavioral Health Services in Plymouth County

PLYMOUTH — Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) Executive Director Allie Hunter is pleased to announce that P.A.A.R.I. has been awarded a $930,000 Integrative Behavioral Health grant by South Shore Health.

South Shore Health awarded $2.4 million to nonprofit groups this spring to support behavioral healthcare in Plymouth and Norfolk counties. P.A.A.R.I. was one of two nonprofit groups selected to receive a five-year grant for $930,000 this cycle.

The grant will support a new partnership between P.A.A.R.I. and Plymouth County Outreach (PCO), a collaborative of 28 police departments throughout the region. Over the next five years, P.A.A.R.I. will work with PCO to implement a “hub model” throughout the county to expand the behavioral health services available to the community, and coordinate outreach visits for individuals identified as being at acutely elevated risk due to substance use and/or mental health issues.

“This first-of-its-kind grant program through South Shore Health reflects our organization’s deep commitment to promoting good health within the community and by removing barriers to accessing behavioral healthcare for the most vulnerable among us,” said Gene E. Green, president and CEO of South Shore Health. “Congratulations to P.A.A.R.I. for being named a grantee. We are excited to see the impact this initiative will have in our communities.”

“P.A.A.R.I. has had many successful partnerships with PCO, and we are thrilled to embark on this latest initiative to support our local law enforcement partners to address behavioral health needs in Plymouth County,” Hunter said. “We are incredibly thankful that South Shore Health has chosen to support our plan to improve access to behavioral health services on the South Shore.”

“Behavioral health issues are a huge concern, and not just in Plymouth county– these issues are affecting communities everywhere,” said Plymouth Police Chief Michael Botieri, a member of the P.A.A.R.I. Law Enforcement Council. “We’re fortunate that this grant has been awarded to support behavioral health programming locally to help those who are struggling.”

The “hub model” aims to assist those struggling before they reach a crisis point, and to connect the community to a variety of much needed behavioral health services.

“We’ve seen great success with the hub model in communities like Chelsea, Lawrence and Boston, and are looking forward to putting in place a system that will connect those in need to additional services and support,” Hunter said. “This grant will allow us to address a wide umbrella of behavioral health issues in addition to substance use, including mental health concerns.”

“This is monumental as it will allow for PCO to spearhead an innovative Public Health 3.0 initiative –a first in the U.S.,” said Dr. Nate Horwitz-Willis, director of public health for the town of Plymouth. “This grant will help us address complex substance use challenges seen across our law enforcement, healthcare, and public health communities. We collaboratively look forward to addressing these challenges with best practices and scholarly evidence from all three fields that use primary, secondary, and tertiary equitable prevention approaches with a dynamic team of experts and leaders.”

“The time has come where we need to closer examine the crossover between drug addiction and mental health,” said Scituate Police Chief Michael Stewart. “We are all concerned with the rise in mental health cases.”

The grant will fund the hiring of a full time P.A.A.R.I. hub coordinator who will be based in Plymouth County for the next five years, and will oversee the program.

“Plymouth County Outreach is so fortunate and appreciative to partner with P.A.A.R.I. on expanding our county collaboration, bringing an Integrated Behavioral Health approach to our existing model,” said East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen, a member of the P.A.A.R.I. Law Enforcement Council. “We can’t address substance use and mental health disorders in separate silos.”

About P.A.A.R.I.

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery. Founded alongside the groundbreaking Gloucester Police Department Angel Initiative in June 2015, P.A.A.R.I. has been a driving force behind this rapidly expanding community policing movement. We provide technical assistance, coaching, grants, and other capacity-building resources to more than 465 police departments in 33 states.

We currently work with more than 120 law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts alone. P.A.A.R.I. and our law enforcement partners are working towards a collective vision where non-arrest diversion programs become a standard policing practice across the country, thereby reducing overdose deaths, expanding access to treatment, improving public safety, reducing crime, diverting people away from the criminal justice system, and increasing trust between law enforcement and their communities. Our programs and partners have saved thousands of lives, changed police culture, and reshaped the national conversation about the opioid epidemic. Learn more at www.paariusa.org.

 

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Plymouth County Outreach: Fatal Overdoses in Plymouth County Decreased by 18 Percent in 2018

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Friday, March 29, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Plymouth County Outreach Outlines 2018 Annual Report Data

Fatal Overdoses in Plymouth County Decreased by 18 Percent in 2018

The Police Chiefs of Plymouth County are pleased to announce that Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) has released the data from its 2018 Annual Report, showing an 18% decrease in fatal overdoses and a 13% decrease in non-fatal overdoses in Plymouth County, compared to 2017.

“We are seeing a drop in the number of fatal overdoses in the county, which is a positive step in the right direction,” East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen said. “One overdose death is one too many, so we still have our work cut out for us. But the numbers are trending in the right direction, which means more individuals suffering from substance use disorders are accessing treatment.”

To view the full report click here.

Overdose data from all 27 communities in Plymouth County was entered into the PCO Critical Incident Management System throughout the year in 2018. The data was then analyzed and interpreted by Kelley Research Associates.

Fatal and Non-Fatal Overdoses

In 2018, there were 121 fatal overdoses in Plymouth County. There were 147 fatal overdoses in 2017. The vast majority of the fatal overdoses in 2018 (98%) involved a known or suspected opioid. There were only three fatal overdoses that did not involve an opioid.

The number of non-fatal overdoses also fell year-over-year. In 2018, there were 1,338 non-fatal overdoses, compared to 1,529 in 2017.

The hardest impacted communities with people suffering overdoses in Plymouth County in 2018 were:

  • Brockton – 661 (45%)
  • Plymouth – 168 (12%)
  • Wareham – 159 (11%)
  • Middleborough – 54 (4%)
  • Rockland – 51 (4%)

Seventy-five percent (1,093) of the total fatal and non-fatal overdoses (1,459) reported in Plymouth County in 2018 occurred in those five communities.

In regard to the location of where victims overdosed in comparison to their community of residence, 74% of the victims overdosed in their town of residence, compared to 26% who overdosed in a community outside of where they live, or were homeless.

Collaborative Outreach Efforts

Throughout the year, PCO’s outreach team attempted 987 visits to the homes of overdose victims throughout Plymouth County. Of those visits, contact with overdose victims or their family members was successful in 590 cases. Of the successful visits, 143 individuals accepted treatment and 62 individuals were already seeking treatment.

“Every person we can make contact with and speak to drastically increases the chances that they will accept treatment,” Plymouth Police Chief Michael Botieri said. “Our outreach team members worked extremely hard last year and visited nearly 1,000 homes in Plymouth County. We would like to commend them for their efforts and are hopeful they will get even more people to accept treatment this year.”

In 333 (56%) of the 590 successful follow-up visits, the outreach team had direct contact with the individual who had overdosed. The outcomes of those 333 visits were:

  • Person Accepted Services – 143 (43%)
  • Person Declined Services – 86 (26%)
  • Person was Already Seeking Treatment – 62 (19%)
  • No Response Provided – 42 (12%)

Recovery coaches play a significant role in the PCO outreach teams, partnering with plainclothes police officers who conduct post-overdose home follow-up visits. PCO outreach teams include police officers, recovery coaches, clinicians and social workers from their collaborative partners in healthcare, substance treatment, recovery, faith-based and local coalitions.

The Brockton Police Department and Brockton’s Champion Plan are vital Plymouth County Outreach partners. The Champion Plan just celebrated its three-year anniversary. At its anniversary celebration earlier this month, Brockton Mayor William Carpenter announced that Brockton had signed on and joined P.A.A.R.I., the Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative, another key partner and supporter of PCO.

In 2018, 700 individuals sought assistance through the Champion Plan and efforts by the Brockton Police, with 1,100 placements into treatment.

Since PCO started in late 2016, the coalition has continued to evolve, working to enhance existing partnerships, while consistently creating new partnerships with key stakeholders working together to combat this crisis across the region.

PCO’s police departments, along with its partners, recognize that this proactive outreach approach could eventually be utilized to engage other behavioral health issues, a future goal and focus of the PCO Chiefs Advisory Board. The Board is made up of the Plymouth County police chiefs, physicians and healthcare experts who oversee the initiative.

“PCO has clearly made a positive impact on our community,” said Dr. Jason Tracy, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth. Dr. Tracy, along with other Plymouth County healthcare leaders, is a member of the PCO Advisory Board. “Saving lives is a common goal of ours and it is encouraging to see what can be accomplished through this type of collaboration.”

PCO is currently six months into a two-year, Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance grant (Comprehensive Opioid Site-Based Program grant), which is providing $496,000 to PCO to expand and build upon the great work of the coalition throughout the county.

“Collectively, as a team across the county and with all of the key stakeholders, we are breaking down barriers and reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders so that lives can be saved and families can be reunited,” said Brockton Police and PCO Advisory Board member Lieutenant Richard Linehan.

More information on PCO can be found at www.plymouthcountyoutreach.org

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, Brockton Police Lt. Richard Linehan, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Matthew Clancy, East Bridgewater Chief Scott Allen, Halifax Chief Joao Chaves, 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 Robert Small, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief John Walcek, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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Plymouth County Outreach Supports Bill to Provide Civilians Greater Access to Overdose-Reversing Medications

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Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Plymouth County Outreach Supports Bill to Provide Civilians Greater Access to Overdose-Reversing Medications

The Police Chiefs of Plymouth County announce that Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) is supporting a bill filed last week that would allow law enforcement officers — in addition to medically trained personnel — to provide civilians with the overdose-reversing drug Narcan (naloxone) and train them on how to administer the drug.

Bill SD.1414, “An Act Relative to Furthering the Success of Opiate Intervention Programs,” was filed on Jan. 17 by State Senator Walter F. Timilty. The bill was co-sponsored by State Senator Viriato M. deMacedo and State Representative Alyson M. Sullivan. Since its filing, State Senator Michael D. Brady, State Senator John F. Keenan and State Representative Matthew J. Muratore have also co-sponsored the bill. All of the bill’s current sponsors represent communities in Plymouth County.

If passed, the law would allow police officers to train people how to use Narcan and give civilians doses of the medication to use in the event of a person overdosing.

“Currently, only medically trained professionals, like doctors, nurses, firefighters and treatment center workers are able to provide people with Narcan and give them the training,” Plymouth Police Chief Michael Botieri said. “As police officers who are on the front lines dealing with the opioid crisis, we believe our officers should have the ability to further help someone before they overdose.”

East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen said, “Right now, when we are at an outreach follow-up visit with our officers and recovery coaches, if an overdose survivor or their family members need Narcan, we have to refer them to a local outreach organization like BAMSI, a drop-in center or Learn to Cope. That person might not go to one of the treatment centers until later that day or the next week or at all. Maybe they change their mind. Maybe they can’t get a ride. And we have effectively closed that window of opportunity to help someone who is seeking help right then and there.”

Seeing firsthand how similar scenarios have played out during PCO post-overdose outreach follow-up visits, the Police Chiefs of Plymouth County shared their concerns with Sen. Timilty, Sen. deMacedo and State Rep. Sullivan late last year, and they took the initiative in filing the bill. If passed, the change in the law would assist outreach teams, who are on the front lines across the state, and would be able to provide tools, like Narcan, to a vulnerable community at a more opportune time. Individuals who have overdosed have a high risk of suffering another overdose.

“Outreach teams have been engaging overdose victims and their families with a high rate of success, across the Commonwealth,” Sen. Timilty said. “By enabling these teams to provide naloxone to those who may be affected by an overdose, and training them on how to administer it, there is the hope that the outreach teams would be even more successful in their life-saving efforts.”

The Police Chiefs of Plymouth County offer their full support of the bill and hope to see police departments in communities throughout the state reach out to their local politicians and ask them to co-sponsor the bill and help raise awareness of this critical issue. The PCO Chiefs are asking all of their State Senators and State Representatives to sign on and support this bill.

“I have seen firsthand the difference Plymouth County Outreach has made in my community in helping those suffering from substance use,” Sen. deMacedo said. “It is my hope that this legislation will give those on the front lines greater access to the tools they need to save lives in our communities and across the state.”

State Rep. Sullivan said, “This key piece of legislation which has been filed in both the House and Senate, will be another step forward in the battle against the horrible opioid epidemic. Taking this proactive and aggressive approach will provide another necessary tool for our first responders and outreach teams. I look forward to working with Senator Timilty, Senator deMacedo, Chief Allen, Chief Botieri and members of PCO to advocate on behalf of this bill in continuing the fight against the opioid epidemic. I encourage my colleagues in both the House and Senate to support this legislation.”

Chief Allen said, “We are very thankful to see that our dialogue with Senator Timilty, Senator deMacedo and State Representative Sullivan has come to fruition as a bill and we are thankful for their support in getting this bill drafted. Hopefully it goes through the legislature and gets passed into law, giving our residents more access to this live-saving drug.”

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, Brockton Police Lt. Richard Linehan, Carver Chief Marc Duphily, Duxbury Chief Matthew Clancy, East Bridgewater Chief Scott Allen, Halifax Chief Joao Chaves, 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 Robert Small, Rockland Chief John Llewellyn, Scituate Chief Michael Stewart, Wareham Chief John Walcek, West Bridgewater Chief Victor Flaherty and Whitman Chief Scott D. Benton.

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