This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
The Angel Initiative was created in January 2017 when Longmont Department of Public Safety (LDPS) began seeking a way to support those suffering from substance abuse disorder in the Longmont community.
LDPS discovered and soon partnered with Glouchester Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAAR) to gain insight and direction.
The Angel Initiative strives to connect residents with substance abuse services, free of charge. The only ask is that these participants take the first step and go to the Safety and Justice Center for help.
On December 12, the 200th community member made that first step around 2:15 p.m. This person was soon followed by the 201st community member.
LDPS anticipated to reach these numbers by the end of 2019 and were pleasantly pleased to hit their goal before mid-December.
The Angel Initiative coordinated through LDPS, however, its real success comes from the help provided by the community.
Some of the ways the community can help include becoming an Angel Initiative volunteer or offering employment in your business.
In 2020, LDPS will be sponsoring a community program on the use of Narcan.
Narcan is a drug used to reverse an overdose from heroin or opioids. Since Public Saftey Police and Fire began using the drug in 2017, they have saved over 90 lives.
The new program will teach the public how to use Narcan and other techniques to potentially save the lives of anyone who is experiencing an overdose caused by prescription narcotics or heroin. For more information on the training contact Robin Ericson at [email protected].
"The department would like to thank the committed volunteers and public safety staff for embracing this idea. In the last three years, we have learned to navigate a system that sometimes makes it hard to find treatment. Our team was not deterred; they treated participants with respect and compassion and provided them an opportunity to seek healing. Thanks to these dedicated staff and volunteers, we have won grants to support the program, which continues to serve our community well," state LPDS.
