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In response to a spate of drug overdoses and deaths, the Broward Sheriff’s Office Pompano Beach district decided to take a new approach to addressing the crisis. This led to the creation of the Recovery Residence Walkaway Intervention Program.
Oftentimes, immediate intervention can be the difference between life and death when an individual with a substance abuse disorder is in crisis and at risk of overdosing. Now, BSO deputies in the Pompano Beach district are equipped with the training and tools to offer immediate services and assistance that includes a peer support specialist through the Recovery Residence Walkaway Intervention Program.
During an eight-month period in 2021, 38 deaths in the City of Pompano Beach were related to drug overdoses. Of the 38 deaths, 27 of them used Fentanyl or one of its derivatives. The overdose victims came from all walks of life; however, many of them were clients at a recovery residence in the area. Those individuals may have chosen to walk away from the home or were asked by the recovery home staff to leave. Once these individuals leave, they have a greater chance of relapsing and using drugs. The relapse could cause them to overdose and possibly lead to death.
BSO created the Recovery Residence Walkaway Intervention Program to save lives by asking the recovery home operators to contact BSO Regional Communications when a person leaves the facility and is in jeopardy of overdosing. Deputies will respond to the individual in crisis, take the time to listen to them and assess what services they need. The deputy will then contact the South Florida Wellness Center which steps in and sends one of their peer support specialists to offer help.
“A manager of a recovery residence that is Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) certified will contact BSO Communications if a resident walks away from that facility and is in danger of relapse. A BSO deputy is dispatched to the scene to help that person. Also dispatched is a peer support specialist who will assist. Peer support specialists are people with lived experience and first-hand knowledge of how to engage with someone and get them into treatment,” BSO Community Programs Director David Scharf said.
If the individual chooses to receive assistance after speaking with the peer support specialist, they will be taken to a respite facility that can help them get off the streets and return to a treatment program, detox center or medical care.
BSO deputies in Pompano Beach attended training led by a BSO substance abuse educator and addiction professional, as well as a peer support specialist, to learn about the disease of addiction and how they can save someone’s life before it’s too late.
“It’s critical to destigmatize addiction and have a softer approach when receiving a call for assistance. This program, and the training that the deputies receive, shows our compassion, that we have services for them, and if they want help, we will provide it,” BSO Substance Abuse Educator Abbey Danneman, MSW, CAP said.
“We created a program to teach the deputies how to deescalate, how to approach people who are experiencing crisis, specifically when they’ve been released from a sober home, been disruptive or out on the street and looking to get high again. As a result of that we created great community partnerships with people who will respond and offer services,” Pompano Beach District Captain Efrain Torres said.
THIS REPORT BY:
Miranda Grossman/PIO
Claudinne Caro/PIO
