I was recently asked to join the Board of Directors of a new not-for-profit, the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) (paariusa.org) .
This nonprofit has been established to assist in the effort to address the scourge of opioid addiction in concert with and in response to Gloucester's revolutionary new drug addiction treatment program. As I have lost 3 first cousins to this scourge, I am excited about this fresh new approach to a terrible sickness.
P.A.A.R.I. is the culmination of a partnership among national leaders of business, healthcare, public sector, and education, who met shortly after the City of Gloucester and Chief Campanello announced the Gloucester ANGEL Initiative, aimed at turning police officers into caregivers in the battle against the disease of drug addiction.
EXTRA:
"This organization is the manifestation of the commitment of support we have received from so many organizations and leaders since beginning the ANGEL program," Chief Campanello said. "Gloucester has already put 17 addicts in treatment since June 1. I am incredibly excited to see what we can do with the level of partnership we are seeing with P.A.A.R.I."
"I’m a resident of Gloucester and when I first heard about The Gloucester Initiative, I immediately saw its tremendous potential to save lives and affect real policy change,” Rosenthal said. “As a businessperson, much of my career has been dedicated to helping vulnerable populations and creating a sense of community. Opioid addiction is an illness and Police have a unique role to play in helping direct addicts into treatment. P.A.A.R.I. will be a vehicle for individuals and businesspeople to support the Gloucester Initiative as well as assist other communities to compassionately help those struggling with the disease of opioid addiction. I am thrilled to begin this life-saving endeavor."
"What has begun in Gloucester will now have the mechanisms and support systems to go farther," said Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken. "I applaud the efforts of each of the board members and everyone involved with P.A.A.R.I. and am very excited to watch what comes next."
Along with supporting the Gloucester Police Angel Initiative, PAARI will work with other police departments, drug treatment centers, municipal governments, and other partners looking to implement and support similar programs, and foster a dialogue around the unique opportunity for police departments to take direct action against the disease of drug addiction in their communities. PAARI will collaborate with public safety agencies and their partners to:
• Encourage opioid drug users to seek recovery
• Connect addicts with treatment programs and facilities
• Provide resources to police departments and communities that want to do more to fight the opioid addiction epidemic
• Promote and remove barriers to providing potentially lifesaving nasal Narcan to first responders and caregivers of opioid addicts.
• Work with educators and clinicians to study the effectiveness of this unique law enforcement based initiative.
Here's some recent local, as well as national headlines about the successful efforts taking place in Gloucester:
WCVB Interview:
http://www.wcvb.com/health/nonprofit-launched-to-help-police-departments...
WBUR: http://www.wbur.org/2015/06/17/early-progress-gloucester-opioid-amnesty-...
Gloucester Times:
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/local_news/updated-nonprofit-launche...
New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/06/16/us/ap-us-addict-amnesty-respo...
Lowell Sun: http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_28325482/gloucester-police-tout...
WBZ Radio: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/06/16/gloucesters-unique-approach-to-dea...
Portland Press Herald:
http://www.pressherald.com/2015/06/17/drugs-for-treatment-exchange-gets-...
San Francisco Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Police-tout-success-in-unique-f...
Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/police-tout-succes...
ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-tout-success-unique-fight-drug...
Sacramento Bee:
http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/health-fitness/article2464594...
Wichita eagle: http://www.kansas.com/living/health-fitness/article24645940.html
LawOfficer.com:
http://www.lawofficer.com/articles/2015/06/new-england-police-adopt-uniq...
Houston Chronicle:
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/crime/article/Police-tout-success-i...
ALL: https://news.google.com/news/story?pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=gloucester...