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'Why wait?': Clarksville Police partners with Project CARE to help people who survived overdoses

Project CARE employees go out with law enforcement with a leave-behind kit filled with Narcan, a resource guide and harm reduction resources.

CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — The Clarksville Police Department (CPD) in southern Indiana, is committed to helping people recover when it comes to treating overdose.

"Why wait?" Police Chief Nathan Walls said. "There's no reason to wait."

That's why the police department has partnered with Project CARE, which stands for Collaborative Access to Recovery Engagement.

Resources are given within the first 48 to 72 hours after someone overdoses. 

"The last thing we want to do is go back and have to see somebody 'narcanned' a second time or a third time or see a family member suffering and just begging for help," Walls said.

Project CARE employees go out with law enforcement with a leave-behind kit filled with Narcan, a resource guide and harm reduction resources.

"Just most of the time they don't know where to go; this program is designed to help us figure out the best path to send people for all these resources," Walls said.

 Project CARE has been around since 2021, serving Jeffersonville with a 74% success rate, and connecting people to care post-overdose & substance use.

Kelsey Christian, a project manager of Project CARE, said that "because of that success we wanted to replicate that into other communities, which is where the partnership with Clarksville Police Department came in."

They're literally meeting people where they're at with food, transportation, medical and harm reduction resources.

Anything someone might need.

"Whenever they are ready or they do have questions about things or if they do need additional Narcan or if they don't know where to go for something that's why we're here," Christian said. 

Lessening the burden of those in need.

"We're just looking for any angle we can to help these type of people who are in need," Walls said.

The police chief said the Project CARE program will be up and rolling as soon as next week.

If anyone needs help with substance use, contact Project CARE's hotline at 812-206-9000.

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