FEATURE
Blooms in Berks County By Brian Kammerer, CRS
I
t was a bitterly cold, dreary, and overcast morning. Christmas trees, which were once the proud and majestic symbol of the holiday season, were now abandoned in the gutter, clinging to scraps of tinsel and garland. A few days earlier, a Birdsboro police officer had saved a young man’s life by administering Narcan and reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. I left my home and drove to meet Chief Todd Trupp of the Birdsboro Police Department to conduct the very first Blue CARES visit. Blue CARES (Cops Assisting Recovery Engagement and Support) is a collaborative “Community Policing Program” between Berks County law enforcement officers and the Council on Chemical Abuse. When a Berks County police officer uses Narcan (naloxone) to reverse an opioid overdose, the officer can then follow through with a referral to Blue CARES.
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THE RESPONSE // SUMMER 2022
The uniformed officer and a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) conduct a joint visit to the overdose survivor’s home in the hope of connecting with the individual and offering access to treatment services. There is also an opportunity to engage with family members and provide them with information, support, and access to resources. During the first three years of this program, I have participated in over 400 Blue CARES visits. People often ask if the program is successful and my answer is always a resounding YES. There are many ways to measure success. Each visit has been unique in its own way; some have been heartbreaking while some have been truly inspirational. I will share some of my experiences and invite you to determine where the successes can be found. The overdose survivor was an eighteen-year-old white male student who overdosed at a local college. Chief Stinsky and
