September 7, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs recognizes the Fort Wayne Police Department Hope & Recovery Team (HART) supported by the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Program or COSSUP.
“One notable effort, supported in part by COSSUP funding, is centered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the number of fatal overdoses has been on the rise over the last decade. In response, the community created a dedicated Hope and Recovery Team (HART) to identify and intervene with people who recently experienced an overdose.
Two plain-clothes vice and narcotics division detectives, along with a peer recovery coach, respond to an individual’s home in an unmarked car and encourage the person to get involved in a treatment plan. Recovery coaches are embedded in emergency rooms in Fort Wayne where they contact people who are treated for a non-fatal overdose and attempt to connect them with services before they are released. Social workers are embedded in the police department to provide an additional level of support to officers and the community. Since its inception, HART has contacted over 1,000 individuals, with 450 receiving treatment services.”
“In Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Hope and Recovery Team connects people who have recently suffered an overdose with treatment and recovery resources.”