Law Enforcement, Addiction Services Seek to Tackle Opiate Problem (Joe Trolian)

February 28, 2017

In August of 2016, Chief Keith Porch of Mansfield Police Department, Chief Lance Combs of the Shelby Police Department, and Executive Director Joseph Trolian of the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board established the Richland County Opiate Review Board. Through the Opiate Review Board and a visit to Colerain Township in Butler County, the opiate board, on March 1st 2017, implemented the County's first Opiate Response Team. Director Trolian spearheaded a collaborative made up of an addiction professional, an family advocate, and a law enforcement officer.

Joe Trolian stated that a number of agencies agreed to participate and rotate the addiction professionals position; the partner agencies include Catalyst Life Services, Family Life Counseling and Psychiatric Services, Mansfield UMADAOP, Abraxas Ohio, Healing Hearts Counseling Center, and Third Street Family Health Services. Trolian said the advocates will be a rotation between Starfish Project, Project One and Reformers Unanimous.

The Team will respond within 72 hours of an overdose. Teams will be activated in Mansfield,

Shelby, and across the county through the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Trolian hopes that by showing people the option of help instead of incarceration, more people will get the care that they need.

Read Full Article: Richland Source