First Of Its Kind Treatment Program Aims To Save Lives Of Those Battling Drug Addictions
By Mike Dougherty and Walt Hunter
UPPER DARBY, Pa. (CBS) -- Heroin is cheap, widely available and extremely deadly. The highly addictive drug has become public enemy number one in many parts of the country. One Delaware County community is taking a new approach to help people break the cycle.
"We're an open department. They can come in and request help and we would reach out and seek that help for them immediately," Superintendent Michael Chitwood said.
There were 22 overdose deaths and 123 overdoses in Upper Darby in 2015. Chitwood doesn't want anyone to be afraid to enter the police station to ask for assistance.
"You see how big the problem is," he said. "If you need help, we're here to help. Period."
Those battling addiction, whether it's heroin or any other substance, just need to walk in to Upper Darby police headquarters and ask.
"Come right in. Come right in the lobby. I got a captain in charge, Captain Tom Johnson."
As long as that person isn't wanted for any crimes, he or she will be assigned to a counselor from Gaudenzia. President Michael Harle says addicts will be guided through the sometimes bureaucratic process of finding out what services are available to them.
"We're not trying to get them into our program. We're trying to get them into any program," he said. "If there's a problem, it's called a warm handoff. We're going to kind of be holding their hand."
Upper Darby Mayor Tom Miccozie says too often people ask for help but get turned away when the process takes too long.
"We need to capture it at that moment and that moment alone. This program will provide a safe haven to move us forward."
He continued, "It's not only our youth. It's the middle-aged accountant, it's the housewife with a dental problem that got hooked on opioids."
"There's only one stat im looking at," concluded Mayor Micozzie."I want to be standing here when we save the first life. I want that person standing right here."
Funding for "Change is Possible" comes from a variety of sources, and so far the program is limited to normal weekday business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
