FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Litchfield County, Connecticut) – July 18, 2023 – Connecticut CLEAR, a multi-jurisdictional deflection program which partners behavioral health providers and law enforcement, is pleased to announce their participation in the first National “Day of Deflection” on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
The National “Day of Deflection” is a multistate effort to highlight the impact of deflection work in communities nationwide and the importance of local and multistate partnerships. It will occur during the first-ever PTACC (Police Treatment and Community Collaborative) “National Deflection Week,” July 16-23, 2023.
Deflection is when first responders, social workers, and recovery support professionals connect individuals experiencing mental health or substance use challenges to community-based treatment and/or services as an alternative to arrest or taking no action.
“We are thrilled to be participating in the first annual National “Day of Deflection,” said Lauren Pristo, MPH, CLEAR Statewide Project Manager. “Through our partnerships with law enforcement and other organizations we are able to meet people with a substance use disorder where they are at, help keep them safe, and provide access to local resources. We hope the connections made will have a positive impact and create communities that are safe, healthy, and welcoming to all.”
“Deflection provides another tool in our toolbelt, allowing us to better serve the members of our community and ultimately save lives” said Chief Bernegger of Watertown Police Department.
On July 19th, deflection teams and sites in communities from 11 states – Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin – are expected to participate in the National “Day of Deflection”.
In Connecticut, all are invited to come and meet a deflection team member from the CLEAR team, enjoy a sweet treat, and receive a free naloxone kit for overdose response on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the following locations:
Location: Watertown
Oakville Park, corner of Route 73 and Riverside past CVS
Time: 9:00-11:00 AM
Location: Torrington
883 Main Street
Time: 12:00-2:00 PM
Location: Winchester
Winsted Police Department
Time: 2:30-4:00 PM The CLEAR initiative, funded by the Connecticut
The CLEAR initiative, funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is a deflection effort aiming to increase connections to care and support for people with a substance use disorder (SUD) and to create a cohesive, collaborative response to addiction among community partners and law enforcement. CLEAR is a statewide initiative, currently being piloted with the Stamford Police Department, Greenwich Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Winsted Police Department, and Torrington Police Department and is led by behavioral health organizations McCall Behavioral Health Network and Liberation Programs, Inc. To learn more click here.
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About McCall Behavioral Health Network
Serving families and individuals of all ages across western Connecticut for 50+ years, McCall Behavioral Health Network is operating proof of the power of connection. We’re a diverse network of experienced, specialized, and highly trained behavioral healthcare professionals. Equally important, we’re passionate and compassionate people who are committed to helping individuals, families and communities access resources, overcome adversity, build resilience, and achieve wellness. A network that heals. A community who cares. That’s McCall Behavioral Health Network. www.mccallbhn.org
Contact:
Marisa Mittelstaedt
Director of Development & Marketing
Mobile: 860.202.4916