RI HOPE Initiative-Statewide Law Enforcement Opioid Overdose Deflection Program

The HOPE Initiative’s mission is to save lives by reaching out to those Rhode Islanders at a high risk of overdosing and encouraging them to be assessed and treated. This outreach program is unique because it is statewide and cross-jurisdictional. Since 2018, the HOPE Initiative has been providing outreach services to all Rhode Islanders who are at risk of overdosing and encouraging them to be assisted and treated. The HOPE Initiative is unique in its ability to identify the targeted population and best provide services because it uses a customized data-gathering software to draw targeted information regarding overdose incidents from existing law enforcement software. The goal of the outreach is to educate the individual on available recovery resources and engage them in treatment.

The HOPE Initiative offers services to Rhode Islanders who have recently suffered an overdose as well as individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are referred through the Rhode Island Adult Drug Court, the Attorney General’s Diversion Unit, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections’ Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program or from the general public, probation, and law enforcement. The HOPE Initiative is coordinated by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and CODAC Behavioral Health Services. Communication and collaboration between relevant departments in state government is also a critical component of the program. So, while the HOPE Initiative is law enforcement-led, it is collaborative with those in human services, child welfare and health.

CODAC is one of RI’s leading providers of outpatient Opioid Use Disorder(OUD) treatment and recovery services. The HOPE Initiative clinicians are CODAC employees who have been trained in evidence-based and trauma-informed services, which aligns well with the resiliency and recovery-oriented systems of care for OUD. The HOPE Initiative has well-developed mechanisms for sharing information among collaborating agencies that will expedite treatment as clients move through the care system, including monitoring, consultation, and written agreements that define the types of information that will be shared, with whom, and under what circumstances.

The HOPE Initiative works in concert with law enforcement agencies through the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. The HOPE Initiative’s proprietary and customized database is connected to police departments across the state and generates an alert if a suspected overdose has occurred. This data is owned by the individual police departments and is made available to the HOPE Initiative through the coordination.

A core value of the HOPE Initiative is to meet people where they are. Rhode Islanders suffering from OUD are often well-known to members of law enforcement and everyday police see the impact the opioid crisis has on their communities and the populations in those communities. The HOPE Initiative is committed to serving as a resource for people with OUD and helping erase the stigma associated with addiction.