GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Georgetown's Police Department has developed a new unit that will focus more on mental health and drug court, to lower the community's drug overdoses.
Georgetown Police Department's new unit got its grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The two community mental health support officers say the need for this role in Georgetown and Scott County has grown. Now, they're looking at the role that mental health can play.
GPD community mental health support officer, Officer Patrick Nevitt, says, "We're the only unit in the state, that I’m aware of, that focuses on prevention and treatment in regards to substance use disorder instead of enforcement and interdiction."
This unit's grant has four main focuses: drug court, post-overdose response, the Angel Program and mental health coalition. In the few short months they've been operating, these officers say they've seen the change in this community.
GPD community mental health support officer, Officer Vance Meighan, explains, "Arresting everyone and putting them in jail is not working. There are other practices that are clearly evidence-based that show that treatment and recovery reduce recidivism better than just abstinence-based jail."
Between 2014 and 2019, Scott County had an average of nearly 12 overdose deaths a year. That number spiked in 2020 at 41 deaths and in 2021 at 35 deaths.
While the numbers did come down last year, these officers want to see more progress and to change SUD’s stigma.
Officer Meighan says, "I was one of those skeptical non-believers that (thought), 'it's a choice.' I'm starting to definitely see that it is not. So, the benefit of seeing somebody go through something like drug court or even any number of the treatment facilities that are out there — seeing the benefit that they are having, that they are reaping, giving back to society, is a big one."
Drug court recently had a graduation ceremony. Officer Nevitt explains that seeing and hearing how much people have changed their lives — highlights the importance of having this new unit.
He says, "When you're seeing someone make such a huge change, a positive change in their life, like a 180-degree difference, it makes it worth it. And, you know, this has gotta keep going, this is the right way."
These officers say substance abuse impacts everyone and they want even more people in the community to know this new resource is available.
