Strategies for Improving Police Response Models involving Opioid Overdoses and Overdose Deaths
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15223156Keywords:
Law Enforcement, Opioid Overdose, Community Linkage, Trauma, Impact on Children, Officer Well-being, Deflection, Pre-Arrest Diversion, Co-responder, Community Safety, Criminal Justice, SDG 1, SDG 3, SDG 5, SDG 10, SDG 16, SDGAbstract
Deflection programs have emerged as a promising approach to addressing the opioid overdose crisis, offering an innovative alternative to traditional criminal justice approaches. A variety of collaborative initiatives bring together law enforcement, first responders, and behavioral health agencies to redirect individuals away from the criminal-legal system and toward supportive community-based services. Implemented across the United States, these programs have shown significant positive outcomes, including reduced overdose deaths, fewer police encounters, and lower incarceration rates. As the deflection field continues to evolve, the next generation of deflection initiatives are positioned to expand their community impact by focusing on four critical areas of intervention: 1) supporting impacted children and families, 2) implementing trauma-informed practices, 3) addressing law enforcement well-being, and 4) enhancing community engagement. By emphasizing these interconnected components, deflection programs have the potential to significantly improve participant engagement, transform police-community relationships, and ultimately achieve better long-term behavioral health outcomes.
Keywords: Law Enforcement, Opioid Overdose, Community Linkage, Trauma, Impact on Children, Officer Well-being, Deflection, Pre-Arrest Diversion, Co-responder
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