This week, the OSI-Baltimore-supported Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program was featured on WYPR’s On the Record with Sheilah Kast. Baltimore Police Department (BPD) Captain James Rhoden and Crista Taylor, CEO of Behavioral Health System Baltimore (BSHB), discussed the program, which re-directs people who would otherwise be booked for low-level drug offenses to treatment and other support services, as well as the importance of harm reduction approaches to address substance use disorders. OSI is the primary funder for the program, which was developed in coordination with BHSB, the BPD and the State’s Attorney’s office.
The LEAD pilot officially launched on February 1, 2017 and as of July 21 had fielded 84 referrals and enrolled 43 people in the program.