Police Help With Heroin Addiction Treatment

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For years the words “addict” and “criminal” have been mistaken as synonymous. Now slowly but surely we are understanding that addiction is a disease that centers in our brain. Those who are suffering from the disease of addiction are using the “open door policy” at this local police station to find the help they need. Instead of being locked in handcuffs, the Dover Police Department are working to help addicts out. Heroin users who wish to seek help for with heroin addiction treatment can now find treatment without fear of retaliation from law enforcement. Working as part of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, the Dover Police Department started the ANGEL program. Under the new program, addicts must voluntarily come into the police station and turn in any drugs and drug paraphernalia they have. From there they will be assigned a volunteer officer who will assist them in getting into one of the several recovery treatment clinics in the state. Understanding that addiction is a disease, and that it can be treated is a huge step forward in battling the heroin epidemic plaguing the nation. Many police departments throughout the nation have started programs like ANGEL. They noticed that locking the addicts up and treating them like criminals isn’t solving the problem. Many police officers now carry NARCAN, which is also known as Naloxone which reverses an opioid overdose. However, prevention is too late for those who already suffer from addiction, so better medical access is the next logical step.  When an addict seeks help, those first few moments are critical in sustained treatment. The ANGEL program couldn’t have launched at a better time. Delaware law enforcement officers have reported increases of fentanyl being mixed with heroin, which can be 40 times as potent as pure heroin. Theses mixed batches of heroin are the cause behind many of the states recent overdoses this year. In 2015, 228 people died in Delaware from drug overdoses. The war on drugs has criminalized and stigmatized those who suffer from the disease of addiction and hasn’t always made sure people get the support they need to get clean. Drug abusers who do get some help often fall back into addiction because they don’t have the guidance they need to stay clean.

Here at Nova Recovery Center we offer a full circle of continuum of care. Starting with Drug Detox, Residential Drug Treatment, IOP, Sober Living and Monitoring Program. If you or a loved one is in need of drug and alcohol treatment, contact Nova Recovery Center today for help. Or Call Us Today