Regional First Responders and Community Leaders Convene for Deflection Summit at CT State Community College – Northwestern
Winsted, Connecticut — March 12, 2026 — Public safety leaders, behavioral health professionals, and community partners from across Connecticut and neighboring states gathered at CT State Community College – Northwestern for the Deflection Summit, marking the second summit hosted at the campus in the past three years. The event highlighted the growing collaboration between first responders, corrections professionals, and behavioral health providers working together to address substance use and behavioral health challenges in their communities. The summit was co-hosted by Community and Law Enforcement for Addiction Recovery (CLEAR), McCall Behavioral Health Network, and CT State Community College – Northwestern, and brought together representatives from law enforcement, fire service, EMS, corrections, probation and parole, behavioral health providers, and community organizations. Participants shared strategies that connect individuals to treatment, recovery supports, and community services rather than deeper involvement in the criminal justice system. The summit was facilitated by Lauren Pristo of CLEAR/McCall
Marion County Set to Launch a Situation Table to Address Community Safety and Well-Being
Instructors Nan Franks (left) and Mike Owens (right) provide instructions on how Table meetings are conducted.
Spartanburg to Launch First-in-the-State Situation Table to Address Community Safety and Well-Being
SPARTANBURG, SC – On September 6th and 7th, over 50 local leaders, service providers, and public safety professionals gathered at the AC Hotel on West Main Street to participate in a transformative two-day Situation Table training. Delivered by instructors Walter “Larry” Sweeney and Maureen Cavanagh from Cordata’s Operation Save Lives (O2SL) and QRT National, the training is part of an effort to tackle the opioid epidemic impacting South Carolina using an innovative approach of enhancing community safety and health outcomes. The Situation Table is a rapid-response, multidisciplinary intervention model designed to address individuals and families facing acutely elevated risk (AER). Originally launched in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in 2011 by the Global Network for Community Safety, the model has since expanded to over 160 sites across Canada and more than 30 sites in the United States. Spartanburg is now the first South Carolina community to implement a Situation Table, paving the