RANDOLPH – Members of the Boston Police Department and Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) now have new, essential deflection skills following a training program led by Operation 2 Save Lives (O2SL) and QRT National. O2SL and QRT, or Quick Response Team, National, have been working nationally with states, counties and municipalities to support community-based collaborations.
The Deflection Academy training took place at the Municipal Police Training Council (MPTC) law enforcement training facility in Randolph. Deflection is an early, “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 Scott Allen of O2SL & QRT National, and Maureen Cavanagh, New York Times Bestselling author, educator and certified peer recovery specialist instructor. Edward Jacoubs (MSW) and Daniel Martineau also participated as co-instructors.
Twenty-five professionals from Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) and Boston Police participated. Those who participated in the training included Boston Police Department supervisors and officers, members of the Street Outreach Unit, the BEST Substance Use Liaison, Boston Medical Center/BEST Co-Response Clinician and Recovery Coach.
BEST Program Manager for the Criminal Justice Diversion Program Lauren Sneider at Boston Medical Center and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator for the Boston Police Department, Clinician Laura Palmer, LICSW, requested the Deflection Academy training to complement their existing initiative via a whole-system approach to addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, including those with substance use disorders and behavioral health concerns. They were connected with O2SL & QRT National through a partner, The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI).
“We were excited to partner with O2SL & QRT National to bring officers, clinicians, and recovery coaches additional training on pre-arrest diversion pathways,” said Palmer.
O2SL & QRT National’s Deflection Academy is designed for public safety personnel, certified recovery coaches, clinicians, social workers and community-based organization specialists who will be engaged in Deflection and community health advocacy.
The course informs and educates attendees on the field of deflection and pre-arrest diversion. The training offers an overview of nationally recognized deflection pathways while focusing on engaging public safety in collaboration with their public health and community-based team members.
Once implemented, the pathways help community and public safety partners respond to, engage with and assist persons who have experienced overdoses and are at risk, or vulnerable persons with substance use disorders. The training also addressed other community needs, such as mental health disorders, drug-endangered children, the impacts of trauma and trauma-informed responses, family support initiatives and more.
Palmer added, “The training helped officers and their BEST/BMC clinician and recovery coach team members work together to build on the skills they each bring to the table and develop best practice approaches when engaging with vulnerable populations.”
Deflection models are operating within communities across the United States. O2SL & QRT National has delivered customized Deflection training over the past three years to partners in Connecticut, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas, along with other specialized training and mentoring in numerous additional states.
“We had a wonderful experience with Boston’s attendees, and we appreciated their participation and engagement in the training,” said Allen. “We strive to provide the necessary education and resources for public safety personnel and mental health clinicians to be prepared when addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.”
The O2SL & QRT National Deflection Academy course is also now co-certified for Continuous Education Units (CEUs) for police officers and licensed behavioral health professionals.
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