FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 3, 2025 Burlington and St. Johnsbury, VT — In a bold step toward building safer, more resilient communities, Vermont hosted two comprehensive Situation Table trainings in Burlington and St. Johnsbury during the final week of June 2025. Over 120 professionals across healthcare, law enforcement, housing, peer recovery, youth services, and faith-based sectors took part in these trainings—designed to equip teams with a structured, collaborative process to respond to individuals at Acutely Elevated Risk (AER). These events were sponsored and funded by the Vermont Public Safety Enhancement Team (PSET) Consortium, a cross-agency initiative guided by Governor Phil Scott’s 10-Point Public Safety Plan. PSET is chaired by the Commissioner of Public Safety in partnership with leaders from Vermont’s mental health, corrections, and human services agencies. Burlington Training: Urban Coordination and Community Empowerment Held June 24–25, the Burlington training gathered over 60 local stakeholders, including representatives from: Through intensive role
Author: Scott Allen
Connecticut CLEAR Deflection Summit Unites Law Enforcement, Public Health and Community Leaders at Stamford Police Headquarters
June 17, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Connecticut CLEAR Deflection Summit Unites Law Enforcement, Public Health and Community Leaders at Stamford Police Headquarters Stamford, CT – June 12, 2025 — The Connecticut, Community & Law Enforcement for Addiction Recovery (CLEAR) initiative marked a major milestone with the successful hosting of the CLEAR Deflection Summit at Stamford Police Headquarters. The event brought together more than 50 law enforcement officials, behavioral health professionals, community partners, and state leaders from across the state to accelerate strategies for deflection, overdose prevention, and community-based recovery support. The summit highlighted the impact of CLEAR’s innovative approach—diverting individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) away from the criminal justice system and toward community-based care through law enforcement referrals and rapid outreach. “The CLEAR initiative has transformed how we respond to addiction—from enforcement to empathy, from crisis to care,” said Lauren Pristo, Statewide CLEAR Project Manager. “This summit was a