Contact between individuals with opioid addiction and law enforcement presents an opportunity to intervene in the course of addiction. Seeking to maximize such opportunities, New Jersey State Police (NJSP) expanded Operation Helping Hand with Operation RISE (Recovery Initiative Support & Engagement), a pilot program in which New Jersey State troopers are trained to connect those with opioid addiction to treatment and/or recovery services. Using $800,000 in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Office of Drug Monitoring and Analysis (ODMA) at the NJSP uses surveillance data to ensure the efficient deployment of the RISE team to areas that are most in need of assistance and intervention. Program objectives include:

• Providing linkage to care for individuals impacted by substance use disorder
• Reducing recidivism rates of crime associated with drug use
• Reducing stigma associated with the disease of addiction
• Reducing stigma associated with law enforcement’s role
• Educating law enforcement and other first responders on substance use disorders
• Provide access to naloxone for reversing opioid overdose

Outcome data from the program described here suggest that Operation RISE can serve as a model for how State Police, in tandem with trained patient advocates, can connect those at risk of overdose to appropriate services. Contact information for the program is available at the RISE website.