BOSTON, MA April 4, 2024 – The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) is excited to announce the appointment of Maureen Bilek to the role of Chief Development Officer. The position, a first of its kind at PAARI, carries the responsibility of planning and managing philanthropic giving and fundraising for state and national initiatives.
Bilek brings with her a wealth of experience, having dedicated 13 years to Advocate Health Care, the largest integrated healthcare system in Illinois, where she served as their Director of Government Grants & Program Development. Over the past decade, she has been instrumental in leading system-wide initiatives aimed at identifying and articulating Advocate Health Care programs and projects. Notably, she led philanthropic strategy for 27 hospitals and secured an impressive $100 million in grant funding throughout her tenure. Furthermore, she spearheaded Advocate’s Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Program and secured funding to open its inaugural Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic which improves access to treatment and recovery for vulnerable communities in Chicago. With a strong foundation in philanthropy and program development, Bilek has demonstrated a commitment to establishing sustainable programs and forging valuable external partnerships. Her proven track record will contribute significantly to PAARI’s mission and organizational goals.
“I am delighted to be joining PAARI and look forward to enhancing and supporting the great programs that PAARI, its staff, and the board have accelerated to address the opioid crisis,” says Bilek. “I emphatically endorse its national commitment to implementing deflection and diversion programs; its innovative ways to improving access to treatment and recovery for individuals suffering with addiction; and its fundamental charge for social responsibility.”
In her role as Chief Development Officer, Bilek will be dedicated to securing philanthropic funds to advance PAARI’s mission and developing innovative approaches and sustainable programs aimed at improving treatment and recovery options for those with SUD. Additionally, she will work to broaden PAARI’s partnerships and continue to raise awareness of SUD to combat the stigma associated with addiction.
“We are thrilled to welcome Maureen to PAARI and to have her join our small but mighty team,” says Brittney Garrett, PAARI Senior Director of Public Safety Engagement and Strategy. “Her impressive professional background and dedication to addressing the opioid epidemic make her a perfect fit for the position. I am excited to witness the impact she will make.”
“It is my pleasure to welcome Maureen as our first Chief Development Officer at the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative,” says John Rosenthal, PAARI Co-Founder and Board Chair. “At PAARI, our goal is to expand our network and further our impact across the nation, establishing law enforcement partnerships and non-arrest access to treatment and recovery services in every state. With Maureen’s wealth of knowledge and proven fundraising expertise, I am extremely excited about achieving our goals and continuing to make significant strides in addressing substance use disorder and advancing our mission.”
ABOUT PAARI: The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (PAARI) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help law enforcement agencies nationwide create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery. Founded alongside the groundbreaking Gloucester, Mass., Police Department Angel Initiative in June 2015, PAARI has been a driving force behind this rapidly expanding community policing movement. We provide technical assistance, strategic guidance, connection to training resources, and other capacity-building resources to more than 700 police departments in 45 states.
PAARI works with more than 130 law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts alone. PAARI and our law enforcement partners are working towards a collective vision where non-arrest diversion programs become a standard policing practice across the country, thereby reducing overdose deaths, expanding access to treatment, improving public safety, reducing crime, diverting people away from the criminal justice system, and increasing trust between law enforcement and their communities. Our programs and partners have saved tens of thousands of lives, changed police culture, and reshaped the national conversation about the opioid epidemic since its founding in June 2015. Learn more at paariusa.org.
