Grant Fuels Battle Against Opioid Crisis, Repeat Offenses
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with CorrHealth, North Colorado Health Alliance, The Willow Collective, and a network of 30+ community organizations in the Stone Soup Community Reentry Coalition, recently secured a $600,000 grant from the Colorado Attorney General's Office. This funding, part of the Opioid Abatement Innovation Challenge Grant, will fuel the Stone Soup Community Reintegration Initiative for the next two years.
“We can no longer work in silos when it comes to addressing the opioid crisis,” said Captain Staci Shaffer. “This is a problem that affects us all, and we each have a role in dealing with it. I am grateful to our community partners for working with law enforcement to champion innovative change that will make our communities safer and healthier.”
The Initiative takes a unique, systemic approach to address the opioid crisis and curb repeat offending. These efforts target a number of factors in a person’s life that impact their risk of reoffending, including policies, community support, and trauma. The coalition is committed to emphasizing rehabilitation and focusing on a compassionate law enforcement approach. The Initiative develops innovative evidence-based solutions in collaboration with individuals with lived experience. It pools resources with community partners in government, non-profit, business, peer support, and faith-based organizations.
Focusing on Larimer County Jail's criminal-justice-involved individuals, the Initiative offers:
- Comprehensive evidence-based reentry services
- Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Critical time interventions (including housing assistance)
- Gender-responsive programming
- Support for families affected by opioid use disorder
- Enhanced recovery services
- Staff training
- Community education
- Naloxone distribution including Narcan kiosks at the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office
- Advocacy
- Regional planning
- A replicable model for other criminal justice entities statewide
MJ Jorgensen, Director of Addiction Response for the North Colorado Health Alliance states, “The Reversal Project is a regional collaboration to bring creative access to naloxone/Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication, to the community. Given the rise of fentanyl and overdose nationally, partners have joined together to bring community awareness and access to tools and solutions to support our friends, families, and community. Naloxone is a safe, effective, and easy to use tool. Our region recognizes that overdose and substance use is a community issue that requires creative community solutions and partnerships.”
“Our job is public safety. Opioids continue to devastate families in our community, and recovery doesn't happen overnight,” said Sheriff John Feyen. “If we can help save one life because a family member or friend had Narcan on hand, it's a worthwhile endeavor.”
