Yesterday, PAARI hosted a call between their Public Safety and Lived Experience Councils. The purpose of the gathering was to give members of the councils time to discuss and share feedback on PAARI’s updated mission and strategy plan. Both councils were able to look at PAARI’s plan ahead of time to prepare questions for the PAARI team. The members of PAARI that hosted the call, hoped that by having both councils review the plan, they could gain insight and opinions regarding what the organization might have overlooked, or missed while developing the course of action.

The call began with Stephen Jesi, PAARI Board Member in charge of the Lived Experience Council, introducing himself to everyone on the call and noting how valuable and crucial it is for PAARI to bring groups from both ends of the spectrum to the table. This was then followed by every person on the call introducing themselves, and explaining their purpose for being on each council.

Zoe Grover-Scicchitano, Executive Director of PAARI, then shared a brief presentation about PAARI’s updated mission and strategy plan. She allowed members of the council to vote on which main themes they thought should be most important to PAARI in creating non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery.

After the presentation, Zoe, Travis Rapoza, Holli Milner, and Isabella Nowak lead small groups to discuss four important questions. The groups discussed their thoughts and then returned to the larger group to go over everyone’s ideas. The questions were:

• What does PAARI do best?
• What is the biggest barrier facing PAARI?
• What is missing from our list?
• What is something PAARI can do to support families, people in recovery, and/or law enforcement?

Following yesterday’s call, PAARI staff and VISTA volunteers will work together to review notes and see where any changes should be made within PAARI’s mission and strategy plan.

To learn more about the Public Safety Council, click HERE

To learn more about and see if you are eligible to join the Lived Experience Council, click HERE

Written, Isabella Nowak