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| Announcement Marks 14th County to Join OAG’s Program with Local Law Enforcement to Connect Individuals Suffering from Addiction with Treatment |
| PENNSYLVANIA—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that Chester County has joined the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI), a program launched by Attorney General Shapiro in collaboration with law enforcement that provides assistance to Pennsylvanians suffering from substance use disorders in enrolling in a treatment program. Thirteen counties across the Commonwealth have previously joined the LETI program. PA LETI allows Pennsylvanians seeking treatment for addiction to use their local law enforcement, including sheriffs, police officers, probation officers, and parole officers, as a resource to contact participating treatment partners without the threat of arrest. “We lose 14 Pennsylvanians a day to the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Connecting individuals to the treatment they need will save lives, make our communities stronger, and help minimize the stigma associated with substance use disorder. I commend District Attorney Deb Ryan and our law enforcement partners across Chester County for implementing this program in their communities.” Shapiro said partnering Chester County law enforcement agencies under PA LETI will: – Open their doors to those suffering from addiction. – Help identify treatment for those who seek it. – Assist with ensuring that people have transportation to the facilities. – Maintain relationships with local treatment providers to understand the availability and collect data to study outcomes. In Chester County, individuals can contact a member of law enforcement at any time to ask for a referral or to be connected to treatment with no threat of arrest or prosecution. This policy also includes the ability for law enforcement to connect individuals to treatment at their discretion. “For years, law enforcement has asked for another tool to address the drug and opioid abuse plaguing Chester County,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. “LETI is that tool. It redirects people suffering from addiction away from the criminal justice system and down a path that could save their lives. We thank Attorney General Josh Shapiro for his efforts to expand LETI across the state of Pennsylvania, including now in Chester County. LETI will make a difference for so many people,” Agent Janene Holter, Ph.D., is the Office of Attorney General’s dedicated full-time agent who coordinates PA LETI. Her work includes training, writing policies for each participating county, providing sample policies and documents, and convening key community stakeholders. LETI currently operates in Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Clearfield, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Mifflin, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder, and Somerset counties. District Attorneys in Pennsylvania interested in starting a PA LETI program should contact the Office of Attorney General at 570-826-2483. |
