In this lunch session you will hear about how (PCO) Plymouth County Outreach aims to educate all communities to this regional epidemic with a major focus on reducing the strong Stigma that is attached to those suffering from SUDs, as well as the strong Stigma that family members and loved ones of those struggling must deal with themselves every day. Plymouth County Outreach (PCO), is a county-wide collaboration of the 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, as well as Bridgewater State University Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and Sheriff’s Department who are engaged in a partnership with non-law enforcement partner agencies, including hospitals, healthcare, treatment, recovery, local substance use coalitions, and faith-based community with its main goals to:

1.Reduce Opioid overdoses
2.Help those suffering from Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) access diverse pathways to treatment through caring and compassionate support
3.Offer and introduce resources and support to family members and loves ones of those struggling with SUDs.

Objectives:
-Learn and apply how law enforcement leaders can leverage their positions to change how their departments respond to Substance Use Disorders and assemble the partners needed to create a regional collaborative approach towards SUDs.
-Develop a comprehensive, regional data collection and analysis plan with the ability to effectively track the impact of interventions regionally, analyzing this data, not only within the regional law enforcement partners, but in collaboration with public health, healthcare, treatment and recovery organizations
- Understand the importance for developing a strategy and plan for reducing overdoses and assisting at risk SUDs persons in a collaborative model, including between regional law enforcement partners, public health, healthcare, treatment and recovery organizations, building trust and partnerships while navigating through potential challenges with this “non-traditional law enforcement initiative”.