BOSTON, MA May 20, 2024 – Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its provisional drug overdose death counts for 2023. The data indicates a 3.1% decrease in overdose deaths across the United States and an astounding 15.86% decrease in overdose deaths in Maine and 11.41% decrease in Massachusetts.
Founded in Gloucester, MA, in 2015, the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) aims to provide treatment and recovery resources to community members with substance use disorders. Since its inception, the nonprofit’s network has expanded to include over 700 police and public safety partners across 45 states, with 162 of those agencies serving Massachusetts.
“The data released by the CDC is encouraging. We hope our work at PAARI is making a lasting impact,” says PAARI Executive Director Zoe Grover-Scicchitano. “While the decrease in overdose deaths is promising news, the data also shows that the epidemic continues to claim over 100,000 lives each year. Research has shown that deflection programs save lives and our work remains more important than ever.”
Among the 45 states with PAARI law enforcement partners, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Maine boast the highest number of partnerships and all six states saw decreases in overdose deaths. While there are many incredible programs in these states, PAARI has highlighted several of these programs in their monthly Spotlight Series and conferences, including Fairfield County, OH Project FORT, Hamilton County, OH QRT, Winthrop, MA CLEAR, Morris County, NJ Hope One, Plymouth County, MA Outreach, Volunteers of America (VOA) Northern New England’s Diversion & Deflection Program and Hope Not Handcuffs, NY.
| CDC Percent Change in Predicted 12 Month-ending Count of Drug Overdose Deaths, by State: December 2022 to December 2023 and PAARI Partners in those states | ||
| State | Amount of PAARI Partners | Percent Change |
| Massachusetts | 162 | 11.41% decrease |
| Illinois | 47 | 8.06% decrease |
| New York | 47 | 3.47% decrease |
| New Jersey | 36 | 11.26% decrease |
| Ohio | 35 | 7.87% decrease |
| Maine | 33 | 15.86% decrease |
“We have learned over the past decade that we can not arrest our way out of this crisis and that public safety and public health partnerships are essential to preventing drug overdose deaths,” says John Rosenthal, PAARI Co-Founder and Board Chair. “The provisional data shared last week suggests that the hard work we have been doing is having a positive impact on the nation. These results reinforce the critical need for continued expansion of evidence-based programs that have been proven to save lives.”
PAARI invites all law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, and other public safety organizations to join its national network dedicated to creating non-arrest pathways for individuals suffering from substance use disorders. PAARI assists departments in navigating program and resource development, stakeholder building, and training for deflection programs. To become a PAARI partner, fill out the survey at the link provided HERE.
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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 160 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.
