(Chicago) – The opioid
crisis has accelerated local and national conversations about how communities
can meet the demand for quality, evidence-based substance use treatment, and
how to coordinate access to services.
Indeed, as jurisdictions seek to expand criminal justice deflection and diversion initiatives
that connect people to services prior to justice system involvement, a common
question is, “divert to what?”
To help respond to these needs, TASC’s Center for Health and
Justice (CHJ) has developed a series of
briefs designed to aid local planning groups, jurisdictions, community
leaders, and their partners in developing treatment capacity, addressing gaps
in services, and delivering coordinated care.
TASC’s Treatment Capacity Expansion Series, available
to download, includes the following briefs:
- Substance Use Treatment Capacity Expansion
- Ensuring an Effective Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Service Network
- Care Coordination of Substance Use Recovery
- Funding SUD Treatment Capacity Expansion
- Cross-Agency Collaboration Matrix
- Naloxone Plus Framework
These briefs outline strategies for creating a sustainable network
of services accessible by partners across sectors, including law enforcement
and other first responders, community-based treatment, supportive service
providers, and hospital and emergency departments. They also build on an
increased understanding of the need for approaches that destigmatize substance
use disorder and its symptoms, and the need for evidence-based treatments that
are respectful of individual pathways to recovery.
For additional information, contact Ben Ekelund, director of
consulting and training for TASC’s CHJ.
TASC’s Center
for Health and Justice helps states, counties, and local jurisdictions develop
practical, collaborative strategies for improving community health, reducing
justice system involvement, and saving public dollars.