Honored to celebrate an incredible leader making a lasting impact in our communities 👏 Congratulations to Hazelene McCray, Drew County Extension Staff Chair with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce. Hazelene is a key leader for our Southeastern Arkansas Delta Region Situation Table. For years, Hazelene has gone above and beyond—supporting families, educating communities, and creating opportunities that truly change lives. From nutrition education and youth development programs to community partnerships and outreach, her work reflects a deep commitment to service and impact. As highlighted in The Pine Bluff Commercial, her dedication has helped improve lives across Drew County and beyond—empowering individuals, strengthening families, and building a brighter future for the next generation. This recognition is not just well-deserved—it’s a testament to the power of consistent, community-focused leadership. 💬 Join me in congratulating Hazelene on
Author: Prima Golda
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
Cordata’s O2SL and QRT National Delivers Deflection Academy Training in Frankfort, Kentucky
FRANKFORT, KY — Frankfort Police Department, Recovery Café of Frankfort and Lexington, Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation, and New Vista, along with police social workers from several Kentucky police agencies gathered with community partners to learn essential deflection skills, participating in the two-day training program led by Cordata’s Operation 2 Save Lives (O2SL) and QRT National. The Deflection Academy took place from August 5th-6th and trained 43 professionals representing organizations from Frankfort, Lexington, and Marion County. The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Commission funded and supported the training. Deflection is an upstream preventative approach to substance use and mental health that offers pathways for a community-based response to occur before an event such as an overdose, arrest, or mental health crisis. Primary instructors included Karen Maline, Scott Allen, and Daniel Meloy of Cordata’s O2SL and QRT National. “We were excited to partner with O2SL & QRT National to bring law enforcement, clinicians, recovery
Recovery Café – Closing the Gap in Frankfort, Kentucky
When the Recovery Café opened its doors in the Church of the Ascension in January 2025, it filled a large void created by the loss of the local emergency shelter and a decline in available resources in Frankfort, Kentucky, In just over seven months, Recovery Café has positively impacted the lives of 72 people through recovery coaching, support groups, life skills classes, and spiritual and social engagement and empowerment. Frequent visitors of the Recovery Café obtain free membership, and with that, an opportunity to give back through community service at the café. Recently, the Recovery Café hosted Cordata’s O2SL & QRT National Deflection Academy training, a community-wide event to bring awareness to addiction and deflection initiatives. Recovery Café partnered with Frankfort Police Department (FPD), Wings of Hope Quick Response Team (QRT), Franklin County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (ASAP), and Expree Credit Union to bring over 30 agencies together for
🚨 National Deflection Week Spotlight 🚨
Across the country, Deflection and Situation Tables are becoming critical tools in public safety and public health
New Multi-agency Approach Aims to Triage Services for Individuals At-Risk (WCAX3, Burlington, Vermont)
Burlington, Vermont is preparing to launch a new collaborative approach to public safety and crisis response through the introduction of a Situation Table. This innovative model brings together police, mental health professionals, housing experts, and other social service agencies to rapidly identify individuals at highest risk and connect them with immediate, coordinated support. Click below to learn how this multi-agency effort is poised to make a meaningful impact in the community. New multi-agency approach aims to triage services for individuals at-risk
Chautauqua County NY Launches Situation Table for those in “Dangerous Living Situations”
The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office will be launching a new collaborative effort on May 14th called the “Situation Table” to bring together agencies across the county. Partner agencies will meet weekly to identify and connect individuals and families living at acutely elevated risk to essential services. This effort is anticipated to benefit the homeless community, inmate re-entry programs, and the larger community within Chautauqua County, a first of its kind for the state of New York. Cordata’s O2SL and QRT National is looking forward to being witness to all the great work that will come from this initiative! Meeting Weekly | News, Sports, Jobs – Post Journal – Chautauqua County
Rutland VT Police Seeking Funding for Community Intervention Initiative
Rutland City Police in Vermont have submitted a request for Opioid Settlement Funds to city government to be reviewed by the Finance Committee. The department hopes to use a portion of these funds to remodel the police station to make accommodations for their new Situation Table program as well as to acquire a community outreach van. Both are approved uses of these funds. In the first two weeks of launching, there have been five situations brought to the Table with the overall risk lowered on two already. A room designed for Table meetings would improve functionality and enhance agency participation and collaboration. A dedicated van would allow the community outreach team to continue to meet people where they are to reduce their overall risk and law enforcement interactions. Commander Prouty, Outreach Commander of Rutland Police Department, was quoted as saying, “The ‘situation table’ is a new intervention model promoted by