Certified recovery specialists and peer specialists from Blueprints for Addiction Recovery will accompany Lancaster County police on Thanksgiving Eve details, the nonprofit and district attorney’s office announced.
Pairing officers and Blueprints staff allows the latter to intervene with individuals in crisis due to addiction or mental health issues, offering the opportunity of referral to treatment and potentially avoiding involvement in the criminal justice system.
The ride-alongs are part of the broader partnership between Blueprints and local law enforcement, through a Blueprints initiative known as Second Chance PA.
“Thanksgiving is a critical time for such efforts,” the nonprofit said in a statement.
For many people, the holiday season is difficult, Blueprints founder Christopher Dreisbach said: “Being a part of an initiative to offer services and care to those who are struggling is of paramount importance.”
“We’ve seen great results from this partnership with Blueprints/Second Chance PA.” District Attorney Heather Adams said in a statement, “and I hope the program can continue to grow.”
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest of the year for law enforcement, and impaired driving is a major concern.
Each year, state police release data on traffic safety enforcement from Thanksgiving Eve through the following Sunday. In 2023, troopers investigated 979 crashes throughout Pennsylvania over that period, including 73 in which alcohol was a factor. There were four fatalities. State police also arrested 542 people for driving under the influence.
