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Expanding Your “Us”: �Strengthening Police & SUD Provider Partnerships to Build RESILIENCE

Jennifer Holm, LMSW – PSWC, Traverse City Police Department

Paula Lipinski, MSW - CEO, Addiction Treatment Services

Presented at American Society of Addiction Medicine �57^th Annual Conference, April 23-26, 2026

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Disclosure Information

Presenter 1: Jennifer Holm, LMSW

No Disclosures

Presenter 2: Paula Lipinski, LMSW

No Disclosures

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Learning Objectives

1. Participants will critique ways in which their current practices further separates “us” vs. “them”

2. The audience will analyze sectors of greatest divide in their communities and for their clients, and calculate the imminence and magnitude of such system separation

3. Session attendees will be challenged to formulate a needed partnership discussion in their communities�

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Level Setting

In this room, can we all agree to:

Have honest discussions & hard conversations
Be willing to try to understand
Talk about actionable, tangible solutions

Ground Rules of our Program – Discussed Every Meeting

Quality & Action
No Pointing Fingers
Facts not Accusations
Not Pushing Individual Agendas
Time Considerations

Level setting is always important. Our community of 61 partners always starts meetings the same way, and for this session, we want to do the same with you.

You are not walking into an easy session. Get ready. You will be participating, and trying to solve real issues.

SUD punitive measures since 70s. War on Drugs. Criminalized a disease instead of people. LE have responsibility. Not just SUD that we are dealing with.

Ground rules

RESILIENCE Program Standards

Fix “Potholes” - Work together to identify and address community gaps in agency services

Coordinate with Purpose: Meet participant needs to the best of our ability by making referrals and following through with service connections as appropriate for each agency. When possible, attempt to stabilize immediate crises using available local resources prior to referral.

Honor Autonomy & Respect: Participation is voluntary. Treat every individual with dignity, use shared intentional language, follow interdisciplinary best practices, and support participant-led goals. We believe participants are inherently resilient and work to reduce barriers, not create them.

Maintain Confidentiality - Information is shared solely for care coordination. PSWs may confirm participation or follow-up status but will not share specific details without consent unless there is an imminent threat of harm. Information will not be used to aid criminal investigation without imminent risk. Law enforcement may respond to overdoses as part of the Overdose Response Team (ORT), for the safety of the ORT and community policing beyond just confiscation or legal action. Prior to participation, limit information sharing of referred individuals for the purpose of PSW follow up and participation decision.

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RESILIENCE Program Meeting Ground rules

Confidentiality - What’s shared in the RESILIENCE Program partner meetings stays within the group, except when advocating to fix “potholes” or for purposes agreed upon by the PSWs and partners.

Quality and Action - Meetings are task-oriented, focused on connecting individuals to services, following up to prevent service gaps, and discussing “potholes” in the community. Partner input is vital and encouraged to coordinate and share interdisciplinary information. Any partner has permission to redirect the discussion if it strays from these purposes.

No pointing fingers - Every organization has limited policies in some areas; we accept this and take a solution-focused mindset to work around the problem with resources available and advocate for large-scale change when needed.

Facts, not accusations - Discuss situations without placing blame on any person or organization. Be respectful to each agency partnering in this program, even if we disagree. Try not to take issues personally.

Not pushing individual agendas - Every service has their own unique mission. We work through 5+ unique sectors: housing, substance use, mental health, physical health, the justice system, and more. We are here to unite these services for the greater good of the participants we serve.

Time considerations - �Full Team: Pothole Discussion & Announcements 60-75 minutes.

Primary Partners Only: Confidential participant discussion up to 90 minutes.

Entire meeting not to exceed 2.5 hours. Meetings occur triweekly. �Primary partner attendance required; secondary partner attendance requested.

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Part 1: What’s Not Working?

Objective: 1. Participants will critique ways in which their current practices further separates “us” vs. “them”

What barriers and obstacles exist in your work?
What is happening that is hindering the treatment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD)?
Honestly -- Who is your “us”? Who is your “them”?

Discuss in small groups

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Paula’s Story

Then and Now
Getting past your own internal thoughts
Building, and re-building, relationships
Capitalizing on support to re-build
The importance of honest conversations

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Part 2: �Developing the TCPD/ATS Partnership

Why?

Individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder and serious mental illness are overrepresented in every part of the criminal justice system (Hancq, South & Vencel, 2021)
Repeat arrestees are disproportionately homeless and have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses (Magee et al., 2021)
Several barriers exist between law enforcement and substance use disorder (SUD) providers, including sharing information, differing goals, and departmental/provider commitment (Mountain Plains ATTCN, 2020)
Effective collaboration solutions have included connecting systems, building trust, sharing data, and developing programs that support regular meetings across systems (Lindenfeld et al., 2024).

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Developing the TCPD/ATS Partnership

Collaboration pre-PSW: Addiction Treatment Services (ATS) and the Traverse City Police Department (TCPD)

Breaking barriers and initiating conversations
Treatment entrance for justice-involved people wanting treatment

Police Social Worker (PSW) Interview & Program Building

Establishing a Quick Response Team… but different
Confidentiality & Shared Release
Primary and Secondary Partnerships
Philosophies: “Everyone is a little bit right,” “Both/And”

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Eligibility. To meet the criteria for the RESILIENCE Program, an individual must have experienced a recent overdose �OR have at least two of three:

Substance Use Disorder
Mental Health Crisis
Homelessness

The RESILIENCE Program is a voluntary program

Role. The Police Social Workers and Police Support Services Workers (PSWs) function as coordinators/brokers of services, rather than case managers

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Part 3: Changes Over Time

Objective #2: The audience will analyze sectors of greatest divide in their communities and for their clients, and calculate the imminence and magnitude of such system separation

The evolution of partnership

Prioritizing RESILIENCE Program referrals
Transitional Beds
Withdrawal management entrance procedures and priority
Wins & Challenges

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Is It Working?

RESILIENCE Program Participant #1:

Criteria – Substance Use Disorder & Homelessness
Police Referral, 11/4/2022
119 pre-referral local law enforcement contacts

Post contacts: 2022 – 18 ; 2023 – 8 ; 2024 – 0 ; 2025 – 1

History of 20 year prison sentence and 10+ years homeless
Post-Referral Journey: Inpatient treatment, recovery housing (x3)
Most recently long-term recovery housing with employment
“Pothole” task group to discuss permanent post-recovery housing in process

**Due to the cyclical nature of vulnerability and trauma, the QRT acknowledges that success stories for our population may come in big, small, short- and long-term achievements. We celebrate the strides participants make toward improving their life in ways that are meaningful to them, and recognize success may not be linear.

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December 2025 Data
Unique Referrals	485
# Screened Out	83
Eligible Referrals	402
# Elected Out	70 (17%)
# Participants	286 (71%)
# Inactive	99
# Closed	197
Active Caseload	117
Needs Met Locally	43
Safely Relocated	37
Total LE Contacts Pre-Referral	13,884
Total Overdose Responses	64
# People Engaged	62
# Now Participants	31 (48%)
Unable to Locate	2
Total Overdose Contacts	251
Total PSW Contacts	1,525
Total Participant Discussions in 2025	715

Eligibility Criteria
Homelessness	87.1%
Substance Use or OD	76.4%
Substance Use, No OD	69.2%
Overdose	12.7%
Mental Health	68.5%
% Experiencing All 3	37.7%

16.4% POC

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Measuring Effectiveness: The University of Michigan evaluated the effectiveness of the TCPD QRT Program and found a statistically significant reduction in law enforcement contacts for QRT Participants. Preliminary report available; detailed report in 2026.

QRT Overdoses: Michigan State Police reported an 8% statewide overdose increase in July vs. June 2025. Grand Traverse County had 8 overdoses this month (double that in June), but only 2 were in the city, with 1 QRT-eligible — resulting in a decrease in QRT overdoses in July.

Community Services Engagement
# People Engaging in Community Services (Housing/MH/SUD)	230 (57%)
# Engaged in 2025	128
Entered Substance �Use Services	124
Still Engaging - SUD	49 (40%)
Entered Inpatient �Mental Health	50
Still Inpatient MH	17 (34%)
Entered Housing	128
Still Housed	103 (80%)
MH/SUD Engagements (Not double counted)	158 (39%)
Total Services Accessed	300

Transitional Bed Usage
Total T-Bed Use Instances	21
Average Length of Stay	3.2 Days
Total Length of Stay (All)	64 Days
% Successful Exit	15 (71%)

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Not Always Rosy

Participant Snapshot:

Participant #46 has been re-housed twice and has �entered homelessness again both times, is struggling �with substance use and possible dementia
Participant #40 was in recovery for 205 days before �relapse, ultimately dying of an overdose.
Participant #372 – coordinated jail exit to treatment & housing, now in jail again

Potholes to Fill:

Return to homelessness following treatment/recovery housing
Insurance changes & recovery funding availability, especially for transportation!
Housing availability & Shelter capacity
Disproportionate number of overdoses for people of Native American descent

Other Challenges:

Partner relations – changes in funding, insurance changes, �revolving doors of staff, competing priorities for a small puddle of money

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Now Back to You

Throughout this presentation, we have asked you to consider partners with whom you can work together better

NOW: In what ways can you and/or your agency find common ground and expand your “us”?

Discuss in small groups

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Now Back to You

TIPS that have helped us with difficult partners/problems:

“Without an agenda” – Impartiality

Whole person, for the good of the person

Choosing a partnership to strengthen

2 perspectives – those where you already have a foundation, or finding common ground those who are the most challenging
Compromise, reaching out and relationships

Everyone is struggling with the same problems

Think of three people who you and law enforcement know.
What would it take to make this person more successful?

“Selling” the partnership: Using what people (staff, agencies) care about

SUD staff – not being able to see the full picture
LE – Not social workers and shouldn’t have to be!
Recovery requires a resource pool

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Part 4: Something to Take Home

Our Program’s Future: (Because you can ALWAYS do better!)

RESILIENCE Program build out – clearer goals, intentional follow up, acuity variation, measuring wins, not stealing wins from other sectors
Passport Initiative – whole-person progress across providers
Open to replication

Your Program’s Future…

Part 4 – 25 mins, 2 slides

Re-Name: Identify program goals, mission, vision, values, standards, & logo

Evaluation results – push back, lean into; policy, uniforms

Improve Onboarding: Print new materials for partners, participants, & community

Community booklet for participants, brochures, Narcan kits

Participant Community Network: Regular participant meetings/feedback loops

Ensure tracking of non-treatment-related successes (life skills)
Client-led goals shared at meetings and used for collaborative support

Enhance Action & Data: Better PSW follow up and measures of success

More frequent follow up, PSW role flexibility for field response and support
Quantify program success and how to measure

Analyze & Engage Partners: Sign paperwork again with each of the partners

Make sure partners want to be involved in new program design
Partner to use people with lived experience in the field, for overdose response

Boost Community Education & Reduce Stigma with a Harm Reduction Lens:

Community event for new QRT promotion, stigma reduction & Narcan training
Continue overdose fatality reviews and overdose follow up
Advertise new program broadly where possible; have replication plan
Provide succinct monthly reports that focus on advocacy and tangible goals

Free image - Eight Dimensions Of Wellness - Free Transparent PNG Clipart Images Download

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Something to Take Home

Objective #3: Session attendees will be challenged to formulate a needed partnership discussion in their communities.

So… What Isn’t Working?

Making problems into action-packed solutions

What needs to happen?
Outside-the-box solutions (high overlap of needs)
What are YOU willing to change?
How can that be changed?

Discuss in small groups / Mock Conversation

What needs to happen? Action-based. No 30,000 foot view. Accountability at a micro level. If we can make today better for our community for one person, we have won.

Think outside the box for solutions - high overlap of population with MH/SUD/H.

The people exacerbating stigma are imperative to theconversation too. (General community)

What are you willing to change?

How can that be changed?

Mock conversation.

The challenge: Start the conversation. Stop saying “well that group isn’t important” - or “we don’t have to.” Have the uncomfortable conversation. This is how it’s always been.

It is making it harder for the person if we are not working together.

It is harder for all the agencies working with someone who is struggling.

Duplication of effort. Not knowing the person. Integrated health care. LE vs person needs.

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Final Takeaways/Summary

The Asks:

Consider partners (especially Law Enforcement) that you can work with better
In what ways can you and/or your agency find common ground and expand your “us”?

The Challenge: Start the Conversation

Stop saying “Well, that group isn’t important” or “we don’t have to”
The people who exacerbate stigma are vital to the conversation, too
It is making it harder for the person we serve if we don’t work together
It is harder for all the agencies working with someone who is struggling
Have the uncomfortable conversations

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Questions & Further Information

Questions and Answers

For more information:

RESILIENCE Program – Contact Jenn�(231) 631-9263�jholm@traversecitymi.gov

Addiction Treatment Services – Contact Paula�(231) 345-5216�paulal@addictiontreatmentservices.org

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References

Hancq, E. S., South, K., & Vencel, M. (2021). Dual diagnosis: Serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. Treatment Advocacy Center Office of Research and Public Affairs. https://www.tac.org/reports_publications/dual-diagnosis-serious-mental-illness-and-co-occurring-substance-use-disorders/
Magee, L. A., Fortenberry, J. D., Rosenman, M., Aalsma, M. C., Gharbi, S., & Wiehe, S. E. (2021). Two-year prevalence rates of mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses among repeat arrestees. Health & Justice 9(2). https://healthandjusticejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40352-020-00126-2
Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTCN) (2020). SUD collaborations that work: Findings from providers in region 8. https://attcnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SUD-Service-Report.pdf.
Lindenfeld, Z., Franz, B., Lai, A. Y., Pagan, J. A., Fenstemaker, C., Cronin, C. E., & Chang, J. E. (2024). Barriers and facilitators to establishing partnerships for substance use disorder care transitions between safety-net hospitals and community-based organizations. Journal of General Internal Medicine 39(12): 2150-2159. doi: 10.1007/s11606-024-08883-8
U.S. Census Bureau (2024). Population Estimates, July 1, 2024 – Traverse City city, Michigan. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/traversecitycitymichigan/PST045223