Police Department implements programs to combat opioid crisis

Elyria police announced Sept. 19 it is implementing two programs aimed at tackling the opioid crisis.

The first program known as the Quick Response Team was formed in partnership with Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board and Firelands Counseling and Recovery Services as a pilot program, according to a news release.

The Quick Response Team is composed of a law enforcement officer and a mental health clinician and the team performs weekly outreach to overdose survivors.

The team’s goal is to contact the survivor or family member within seven days after the overdose and complete a screening of the individual to determine if they would benefit from treatment, the release said.

The team assists the overdose survivor in connecting them to recovery services that best meets the individual’s financial needs and provides information on support services for family members.

The Quick Response Team ran from May through July, and within that time, the Elyria unit was successful in reaching 38 percent of the total number of overdose victims in Elyria.

Officials are excited about this number considering many overdose victims in Elyria do not actually reside within the city while the program Quick Response Team is limited to outreach for Elyria residents.With the program’s success and the overwhelming positive response, Elyria plans on continuing the program on a permanent basis, according to the release.

The Elyria Police Department also will implement a Voluntary Drug Intervention Program that began Sept. 19 to compliment the efforts of the Quick Response Team, the release said.

The intervention program is a police assisted effort designed to help drug addicts, who voluntarily seek help through the police, linking them to recovery services.

The program has yielded a partnership with Let’s Get Real Inc. and a national organization called Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative.

These organizations will provide 24/7 law enforcement access to recovery specialists, who will immediately respond to the station when an individual seeks help with recovery through the Elyria Police Department, the release said.