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We believe that unless concurrently strong efforts are made to improve the environment in which recovering people must live--through improved medical, police and fire services--then the sheer number of those addicted to drugs and alcohol will not decrease.
--Reverend Bonita Grubbs
Executive Director,
Christine Community Action Agency
Co-chair, New Haven Fighting Back Steering Committee
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The Fighting Back target area includes the entire city of New Haven. The major employers in New Haven are Yale University and a myriad of small, but thriving businesses.
New Haven Fighting Back is a project of the City of New Haven.
Objectives:
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Reduce recidivism among chronic substance abusers that are heavy consumers of emergency room services. |
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Reduce substance abuse among high risk families in public housing and the surrounding neighborhoods and link them to appropriate support services. |
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Reduce drug related crime and the perception of drug crime in New Haven. |
Strategy:
The New Haven strategy will increase the numbers of persons in treatment by enhancing referral through the Yale-New Haven Hospital, community based treatment programs, public housing, and trained city personnel (especially the police and fire departments). The Yale-New Haven Hospital Emergency Room will train its staff members, other emergency personnel, and community based treatment staff for identifying signs and symptoms of substance abuse, and prompt appropriate referral. They will collaboratively work to expand use of the community-based social detoxification programs, and retain those persons in treatment. Aggressive outreach will be extended to families in public housing and the surrounding neighborhoods, to enroll persons in treatment, aftercare, and support programs. A public awareness campaign will focus on helping to decrease the perception of crime. The police department and other city personnel will collaborate in extensive cross-training of their personnel to identify signs and symptoms of substance abuse, and how and where to refer to treatment.
Indicators:
Chronic substance abusers' use of emergency room
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Decrease in percentage of repeat substance abusers presenting at the emergency room. |
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Number of persons completing social detoxification programs as a percentage of the total numbers of persons referred for social detoxification. |
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Increased retention and graduation rate of persons in community based treatment programs. |
Families in and around public housing
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Decrease substance abuse and related problems in public
housing and surrounding neighborhoods |
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Decrease in drug related thefts |
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Decrease in assaults |
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Decrease in rates of drug possessions |
Drug related crime and perception of drugs in New Haven
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Decrease in city HIV rates from drug related transmissions |
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Change in multiple arrests of same individuals |
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Decrease rate of alcohol and other drug-related crime in New Haven |
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