Post-overdose follow-up in the community with peer recovery specialists: The Lake Superior Diversion and Substance Use Response Team

Bibliographic Details
Title: Post-overdose follow-up in the community with peer recovery specialists: The Lake Superior Diversion and Substance Use Response Team
Authors: Bradley Ray, Jessica McCarthy-Nickila, Nicholas Richardson, Jeffrey Maahs
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, Vol 6, Iss , Pp 100139- (2023)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Medicine
More Details: Background: As the overdose epidemic continues to worsen, nonfatal overdose calls for service represent a critical touchpoint for intervention. While most studies have focused on law enforcement led post-overdose follow-up, the current study describes the programmatic characteristics and outcomes of a non-law enforcement post overdose program comprised of peer specialists embedded within a local police department. Methods: We examined information on 341 follow-up responses occurring over a 16-month study period using administrative data. We assessed programmatic characteristics including demographic information on clients, referral source, engagement type, and goal completion. Results: The results indicate that over 60% of client referrals ended in the goal of in-person contact. Of those, about 80% went on to complete an engagement goal with the peer specialist. We found no significant variation in client demographics and referral source or follow-up engagement (in-person or not); however, client referrals from law enforcement first responders, the most common source, are significantly less likely to result in an in-person contact, though, if contact is made, similarly likely to complete an engagement goal. Conclusions: Post overdose response programs that do not involve law enforcement are exceedingly rare. Given that some research has shown that police involvement in post overdose response can have unexpected, associated harms, it is important to assess the effectiveness of post overdose programs that do not involve the police. Findings here suggest that this type of program is successful at locating and engaging community members into recovery support services who have experienced an overdose.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2772-7246
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724623000094; https://doaj.org/toc/2772-7246
DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100139
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/b4c4b436c6324abaaa2a88ea38642754
Accession Number: edsdoj.b4c4b436c6324abaaa2a88ea38642754
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:27727246
DOI:10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100139
Published in:Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports
Language:English