TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE CITY IS EXPANDING A
PROGRAM THAT WORKS TO KEEP
PEOPLE ADDICTED TO DRUGS OUT OF
JAIL AND PLACE THEM INTO
TREATMENT.
THE NARCOTICS ARREST DIVERSION
PROGRAM STARTED IN 2018 ON THE
WEST SIDE AND DIRECTED 700
PEOPLE TOWARD DRUG TREATMENT
PROGRAMS.
OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL BE IN
EVERY POLICE DISTRICT BY THE END
OF THE YEAR.
JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE
EXPANSION ARE TIM DEVITT
ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT OF
CLINICAL OPERATIONS AT
THRESHOLDS WHO HAS BEEN WORKING
WITH THE CHICAGO POLICE
DEPARTMENT ON THE PROGRAM.
AND DEPUTY CHIEF ANTOINETTE
URSITTI YOURS OF THE TRAINING
SUPPORT GROUP WITH THE CHICAGO
POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE
CRISIS UNIT WHICH IS
FACILITATING THE PROGRAM.
>> DEPUTY CHIEF CAN YOU WALK US
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW A
PERSON GETS INTO TREATMENT.
>> SURE.
THERE'S TWO WAYS WHERE SOMEONE
CAN ACCESS THIS PROGRAM.
ONE IS JUST AS YOU DESCRIBED THE
PROGRAM IT IS AN ARREST
DIVERSION INITIATIVE.
IF AN OFFICER TAKES AN
INDIVIDUAL INTO CUSTODY WHO IS
IN POSSESSION OF ONE GRAM OR
LESS OF COCAINE, HEROIN,
SYRINGES, PARAPHERNALIA IF THAT
INDIVIDUAL IS OPEN TO SEEING A
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT
COUNSELOR AND MEET THE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THE
PROGRAM WE ARE ABLE AT THE
STATION TO CONNECT THEM WITH A
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT
COUNSELOR WITH THRESHOLDS.
ONE IMPORTANT WAY PEOPLE ARE
ABLE TO ACCESS THE PROGRAM IS BY
WALKING INTO THE POLICE STATION
WHERE THIS STARTED IN THE 11TH
DISTRICT LETTING ONE OF THE
OFFICERS KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OUR
PARTNERS AND ACCESS THE PROGRAM
THAT WAY, TOO.
>> AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
>> SURE.
THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO BE AN
ADULT.
YOU WOULD BE ARRESTED WITHIN THE
GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE
DISTRICTS WHERE THIS IS
OPERATIONAL.
WE ARE PLEASED WE ARE IN 14
DISTRICTS THAT IS WHY WE THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S
EXPANDING.
DUE TO THE LONGSTANDING
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE GOT THE
FOUNDATION HERE TO START GROWING
IT NOW.
THAT THE PERSON IS INTERESTED IN
THE TREATMENT.
SO THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS
THAT WOULD MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL
ELIGIBLE.
>> AND ONE NO PRIOR VIOLENCE
ARRESTS IN THE BACKGROUND
CORRECT?
OR VIOLENT CHARGES?
>> SURE THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE
DISQUALIFYING FACTORS.
IF THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS
ARRESTED AND THERE IS A FELONY
CHARGE AT THE TIME THEY ARE
BROUGHT INTO CUSTODY OR ANOTHER
ARRESTABLE OFFENSE WE ARE NOT
ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THE
PROGRAM AT THE POINT OF ARREST.
BUT CERTAINLY SO MUCH HAS GONE
INTO TRAINING OUR OFFICERS ON
THIS RESOURCE MAKING IT KNOWN
HAVING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS
TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THE PROGRAM
EXISTS THE MORE PEOPLE KNOW
ABOUT IT THAT IT IS ACCESSIBLE.
>> TIM DEVITT ONCE SOMEONE IS IN
THE CARE OF THRESHOLD WHAT
TREATMENT OR SERVICES DO THEY
RECEIVE?
>> WHAT HAPPENS AT THE POLICE
STATION IS WE MEET WITH THE
PERSON AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
GOING ON WITH THEM WE SEEK TO
UNDERSTAND.
WE LOOK AT THEIR SUBSTANCE USE
AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT.
AND TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT
TREATMENT OPTIONS AND WE WORK TO
LINK THEM TO TREATMENT IN THE
COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT COME TO
THRESHOLDS FOR TREATMENT AND WE
WORK WITH OTHER PROVIDERS IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WE ARE BASING IT ON WHAT THE
PERSON NEEDS AND WHERE THE BEST
FIT IS FOR WHERE THEY ARE AT.
AND THEIR ISSUES AND EVERYTHING
ELSE AS WELL.
>> THIS PROGRAM WE KNOW IT
STARTED AS A PILOT IN 2018, SO
LOOKING AT THE CITY DATA
STARTING IN 2019 THROUGH TODAY,
THERE WERE OVER 8,000 NARCOTICS
ARRESTS IN THE 11TH DISTRICT AND
JUST OVER 700 PEOPLE WERE
DIVERTED TO USE THIS PROGRAM.
CHIEF ANTOINETTE URSITTI WHY ARE
NOT MORE ARRESTS BEING DIVERTED?
>> SURE, LIKE I MENTIONED THERE
ARE FACTORS CONCERNING
ELIGIBILITY OR ENTERING INTO THE
PROGRAM.
SOME OF THOSE MIGHT ARRESTS THAT
YOU ARE DESCRIBING MIGHT HAVE
INVOLVED OTHER CHARGES.
IT MIGHT HAVE INVOLVED AN
INDIVIDUAL HAVING CONVICTIONS
FOR SERIOUS CRIMES THAT WOULD
NOT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO DIVERT
THEM IN THE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO
CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS HAVE
BEEN WORKING TO CHANGE OUR
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT CHANGES I
WILL SHARE IS THAT WE'VE SEEN
AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STORY OF
RECOVERY CAN LOOK LIKE.
MAYBE FOR THE DATA POINT WHERE
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WE SEE
THAT ONE OF THE DISQUALIFYING
FACTORS IF YOU USED THIS PROGRAM
BEFORE AND WERE ARRESTED AGAIN
FOR THAT SAME OFFENSE YOU WOULD
NOT BE DIVERTED BUT EXPANDING
OUR ELIGIBILITY, GIVING MORE
ACCESS TO THIS PROGRAM THAT WE
SEE THOSE CHANGES ARE MAKING IT
MORE ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS.
LIKE A PILOT PROGRAM WILL DO AS
YOU START SOMEWHERE AND YOU TRY
TO ENHANCE IT.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
IS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO
ENHANCE THE PROGRAM CHANGING AN
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT AND
GIVING MORE ACCESS TO
INDIVIDUALS.
>> TIM DEVITT WHAT HAS BEEN THE
REACTION FROM PARTICIPANTS
GETTING INTO THE PROGRAM?
>> YOU KNOW THERE IS A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE THAT WILL START RIGHT OUT
AND SHARE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
IT'S TIME.
THAT WILL BE A COMMON THING WE
HEAR OFTEN.
IT'S TIME.
I'M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK
AND TIRED.
YOU KNOW WE WORK TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS GOING ON AND CONNECT
PEOPLE.
WE'RE OFFERING CONNECTION TO
CARE.
WE'RE OFFERING CONNECTION TO
SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE
MEETING US INCLUDES HELP WITH
HOUSING.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE HOUSING OR A
PLACE TO LIVE.
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
WE'RE OFFERING NALOXONE
EDUCATION AND DISTRIBUTION.
NALOXONE IS THE OVERDOSE
REVERSAL MEDICATION FOR OPIOID
OVERDOSE.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE OFFERING
PEOPLE THE EDUCATION TREATMENT
RIGHT THERE AND PEOPLE BEFORE
THEY LEAVE THE POLICE STATION.
THERE IS AN ARRAY OF THINGS
WE'RE OFFERING PEOPLE KEEPING IN
MIND THAT ENGAGEMENT IS A BIG
PIECE OF THIS.
>> LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S OPIOID
OVERDOSE DEATHS, 49% OF TOTAL
DEATHS IN COOK COUNTY WERE BLACK
PEOPLE.
MANY OF THEM HAPPENING ON THE
WEST SIDE OF THE CITY WHERE THE
PROGRAM WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED.
TIM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A
LITTLE BIT AND THAT DISPARITY.
BLACK PEOPLE MAKEUP A THIRD OF
THE CITY'S POPULATION BUT BLACK
MEN ARE BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECTED BY OPIOID ADDICTION AND
DEATH.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CAUSE OF
THAT IS?
>> I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR
PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK
AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE
SOLUTIONS IS TO GET OUT INTO THE
COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT IS
HAPPENING.
AND SO MUCH OF THE WHAT WE SEE
AND WHAT PEOPLE SHARE WITH US IS
THAT IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING
WHEN AN OPIOID ADDICTION
DEVELOPS FOR A PERSON ON TOP OF
THAT THERE'S THEY ARE IN NEED OF
A PLACE TO LIVE AND IN NEED OF
ACTIVITIES LIKE WORK OR INCOME
GENERATING ACTIVITIES, COME FROM
A JOB.
AND SO MUCH OF THIS EARLY WORK
WITH PEOPLE IS HELPING TO
ESTABLISH SOME OF THIS AS WELL.
WE SEE ANYWAY WITH THE FOLKS WE
ARE SERVING THIS IS A BIG NEED
AND SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
REGULARLY ARE ASKING US FOR.
HELP WITH.
AND SO I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT
ENOUGH THAT IT'S ABOUT ADDICTION
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, HOUSING,
EMPLOYMENT, ACCESS TO THAT.
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
>> WHICH MEANS YOUR WORK CUT OUT