Help is here.
HOW WE CAN HELP
The HOPE Initiative will connect with Rhode Islanders who have recently suffered an overdose or are struggling with a substance use disorder. HOPE Initiative services can be provided to anyone who is interested. REFERRALS can be made by friends, family members or others who are concerned about someone suffering with substance use disorder.
Following an overdose or a REFERRAL, a two-member outreach team, consisting of a substance use professional and a member of law enforcement will visit the individual at risk and encourage them towards treatment. A successful intervention may include transportation to an appropriate assessment site.
If an individual is not interested in immediate services, the HOPE Initiative team will continue to follow up and offer support and recovery resources. Understanding that families also struggle during this crisis, the HOPE Initiative will engage family members and loved ones to provide additional services. At the close of a visit information on recovery-related resources will be provided.
Opioid use disorder is a disease, not a moral failing, and Rhode Islanders who suffer from it need our help and deserve our respect. When people see a member of law enforcement, we want them to know that help is here.