The West Windsor Police Department and Recovery Advocates of America have announced the launch of West Windsor CARE, a program designed to aid those struggling with opioid addiction at the time of arrest.
The program, which stands for Community Addiction Recovery Effort, enables police officers to provide addicts with proper resources, access to treatment, and guidance from a trained addiction recovery coach.
When a West Windosr police officer arrests someone in the township for possession of, or being under the influence of, a dangerous substance, CARE kicks in. Officers will provide the recovery coach and the person struggling with addiction a safe, private setting to discuss the process of getting the help needed to begin the recovery process.
The program recognizes that an arrest can often be an addict’s most receptive moment, and that every crisis is a window of opportunity to take a leading role in the recovery process with immediate intervention.
“In providing the tools to help those in need of assistance, and with the help of clinically trained organizations, a clear pathway to recovery will be presented,” Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said.
According to a statement released by the police department, the township recognizes the disease of addiction as a nationwide epidemic and wants to provide resources to get addicts on a pathway to recovery.
The program is based on Robbinsville CARE, which launched in January. During the first seven months of program, eight of the 19 arrestees who were offered intervention accepted and received treatment.
Police Lt. Matt Kemp has been one of West Windsor’s largest proponents for doing more to combat the opioid epidemic. “The feeling is, we’re not doing our job if we’re just arresting them,” Kemp said. “The addiction is still there. Most likely, we’ll see them again. It doesn’t end. We’re not doing the public any favors by just locking them up and throwing away the key.”
In 2015, 55 people in Mercer County died from drug overdoses, up from 38 in 2014, according to the Opiate/Heroin Taskforce of Mercer County. As the county’s drug crisis continues to grow, West Windsor is hoping the CARE program will become the first step to recovery for many who are battling addiction.
“The West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District supports West Windsor CARE and its outreach efforts to help students and families in need of support during times of crisis,” David Aderhold, superintendent of schools, said. “We will continue to partner with police, the Municipal Alliance, and other organizations to offer services and guidance with the assistance of our professional staff members.”
For more information about CARE contact Diana Dubbs at ddubbs@recoveryadvocates.org or Lt. Matthew Kemp at kemp@westwindsorpolice.com.
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