The Essex County Outreach is a collaborative effort involving all 34 police departments within Essex County, as well as the sheriff’s department, partnering with social service agencies, peer specialists, and other community supports to assist with:
- Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
- Mental or Behavioral Health needHigh risk (of overdosing) referrals
- HarmReduction Strategies
- Additional supports to families and children impacted by SUD
- Supports for those that have lost a loved one to SUD
After identifying the need(s), the goal is to have law enforcement partners, SUD professionals, licensed clinicians, social workers, and/or Recovery Coaches (both with and without lived experience) coordinate through the CIMS database reach out to the individual ideally within 72 hours to navigate to the appropriate services.
Our Team
Dani Sinclair — Program Director
Dani has been a police officer since 2002 and currently serving in the role of detective with the Newburyport Police Department. A life-long resident of Massachusetts, she knew early on that her passion was to help the people in the community in which she lives. The role of policing is constantly evolving, and Dani was inspired when attending the first annual P.A.A.R.I. (Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative) Law Enforcement Summit in 2017 by the compassionate and proactive work being done to assist those with Substance Use Disorders. Essex County Outreach was founded as a result, comprising of the 34 law enforcement agencies in the county, the sheriff’s department, social service agencies, public health sector, and other community partners. “Mental health and substance use disorder programs require working together in multi-agency collaborations while bridging gaps in service to best manage assistance for the individual.”
Steve Heald — Recovery Coach Supervisor
Steve has been working as a recovery coach for over seven years, with PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative), Methuen Police Dept., Lawrence Police Dept., and most recently Mass General Brigham Hospital at Salem. He graduated from Norwich University with a BA in Criminal Justice in 1990. He started his career in Juvenile Corrections working with Boston’s most violent offenders. He later worked with JRI as a Residential Director at Centerpoint (Intensive Residential Treatment Program). Following his tenure at JRI he became a Warrant Apprehension Officer with the Department of Youth Services Gang Unit. He was assigned to the Youth Violence Strike Force with Boston Police and later worked with the Lynn Gang Unit. Steve retired in 2006 due to a serious on duty injury. Steve entered into treatment in 2004 for alcoholism and recently celebrated 21 years of sobriety. He comes to Essex County Outreach with a wealth of experience and a passion to help folks struggling with addiction and alcoholism.
Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Our team of trained recovery coaches and dedicated police officers are here to help on that journey to change.
Our Start
Law enforcement has recognized our expanded role in assisting people to non-arrest pathways to recovery and treatment. When attending the first P.A.A.R.I. (Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative) Summit in 2018, the collective vision to assist those in need was inspiring. In learning of the implementation of many great practices already in place, the Plymouth County Outreach program stood out as the model for our program. Through the procurement of a COSSAP grant through the Department of Justice, we have been able to further develop our evolving program by identifying and coordinating with key community and social service partners and enhancing existing programs already in place within our communities.
Our Work
The CIMS (Critical Incident Management System) web-based software product developed by Kelley Research Associates that supports countywide police led programs to facilitate the transition of those experiencing drug overdoses to treatment. A newly designed feature to the CIMS database is the Behavioral Health component, where police led programs would also facilitate the transition of those experiencing a mental health incident. The database documents all overdose incidents within the county jurisdictions, all outreach attempts to those that have overdosed or are at high-risk of overdose, and document behavioral health incidents occurring within the community. Additionally, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, identifies those most high-risk of overdosing individuals leaving the facility, and partnering agencies will perform check ins with those individuals to ensure they are receiving the necessary supports.
From this CIMS alert system, our social service partners, usually along side a plainclothes police officer and Recovery Coach with lived experience, will conduct an Outreach Visit to the individual and/or family member to offer supports and guidance to treatment and resources.
This website is designed to be a one-stop location with links and information to a multitude of resources, connect with our champions in the community, share community events, and contact law enforcement partners for assistance.