From Response to Prevention: How the CRU Helps Families During Recovery

From Response to Prevention: How the CRU Helps Families During Recovery

Launched in December 2022, the Crisis Response Unit (CRU) is an innovative partnership between the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and the Alliance that brings together law enforcement, nonprofits, and clinicians to connect families struggling with opioid addiction to community resources.

Law enforcement responds to calls involving substance misuse and mental health issues throughout the county, providing referrals to services and crisis response if needed. Then they work alongside the Alliance and community partners to follow up after the incident and connect individuals and their families with community resources, helping to reduce repeat incidents and support recovery.

"Bringing together these groups, who are fundamentally designed to work for and help others, but have differing methodologies, can be challenging. So far, the CRU has been able to defy that and provide a valuable service to many others," explains Sgt. Joel Gerard Tomaszewski.

Sgt. Tomaszewski has spent his career responding to emergencies: fifteen years as a police officer and six as a firefighter/paramedic. When a position opened on the CRU, his unique combination of law enforcement experience, emergency medicine background, and firefighting expertise made him the right fit.

Much of the CRU work happens behind the scenes, but its scope is comprehensive. "We strive to assist people in all aspects of their recovery," he says. "Whether it's supporting their wellbeing, helping their family, facilitating transportation, providing court assistance, or even helping them find shelter."

For Sgt. Tomaszewski, watching these different professional worlds work together has been eye-opening. "I hope my service on CRU builds bridges between law enforcement, clinicians, and non-profits. No entity can work effectively alone, and the only way to make the greatest impact is through collaboration." And that collaboration is giving families the stability they need.