INDIANA, Pa. — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that Indiana County has joined the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI), a collaborative program launched by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and law enforcement to divert individuals in need to treatment services.
(Pictured above: SCA Director of Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug & Alcohol Kami Anderson speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, July 11.)
Indiana County becomes the 25th county to join LETI as Attorney General Henry continues efforts to expand the program.
PA LETI is a law enforcement-led treatment initiative that enables Pennsylvanians in Indiana County seeking treatment for substance use disorder to contact probation and parole services, the sheriff’s department, other county officials, and community stakeholders, who will then contact Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission.
“I applaud Indiana County’s attention to this crisis and the need to divert individuals from criminal charges and prison when treatment services are in the best interests of the person and community,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said. “By connecting individuals to the treatment they need, LETI saves lives, makes our communities stronger, and helps to minimize the stigma associated with substance use disorder. I commend the work that District Attorney Manzi and our law enforcement partners across Indiana County are doing to help build stronger, healthier communities.”
AG Henry said partnering with Indiana County law enforcement agencies and others under PA LETI will:
- Open their doors to those suffering from substance use disorder.
- Help identify individuals seeking treatment services.
- Assist with ensuring that people have transportation to treatment services.
- Maintain relationships with our local drug and alcohol administration to understand availability, and collect data to study outcomes.
In Indiana County, individuals can walk into the police barracks, probation office, sheriff’s department, or the local drug and alcohol authority and ask to be connected to substance abuse treatment.
This program also empowers law enforcement to offer treatment to people suffering from addiction and will help stop the revolving door that exists for individuals who do not receive treatment.
The LETI program will continue the work that Indiana County has been doing to address the substance abuse in their community.
“The LETI program will build upon the successful programs already in use in Indiana County, including our county drug court, veterans’ court and pre-trial treatment diversion program. By broadening the ability to connect people to treatment at the earliest of stages, this program will save lives, reduce crime and improve the lives of individuals with substance abuse issues and their families,” said District Attorney Robert Manzi, Jr. “Great success is the growth of invested partnerships. I want to thank Attorney General Michelle Henry, Agent Janene Holter, Ph.D., and the entire Attorney General’s Office for investing your time, energy and resources in the citizens of Indiana County. I want to also thank our local team, including our county court officials, local and state police departments, Sheriff’s department, county commissioners, probation department, and our drug and alcohol commission for all of your efforts and investments in the people of Indiana County.”
Since beginning in 2020, LETI has received nearly 700 referrals from concerned individuals throughout the Commonwealth.
“The Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission is excited about the opportunity to further collaborate with the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, local law enforcement, and the Attorney General’s Office in bringing the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI) program to Indiana County,” said Kami Anderson, Executive Director, Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol
Commission. “In addition to the existing Indiana County Drug Treatment Court and the Magistrate-level Diversionary Treatment Program, law enforcement officers will now have additional diversionary strategies that can help offenders identify another path to obtain treatment and supportive services. As has been said many times, we cannot arrest ourselves out of this drug problem. The LETI program will provide our criminal justice partners the opportunity to offer treatment and recovery support services to persons with substance use disorders living in Indiana County.”
Agent Janene Holter, PhD, is the Office of Attorney General’s dedicated full-time agent who coordinates PA LETI. Her work includes training, writing policies for each participating county, convening key community stakeholders, and case management of LETI referrals.
LETI currently operates in Berks, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Chester, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Jefferson, Luzerne, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan and Wyoming counties.
District Attorneys in Pennsylvania interested in starting a PA LETI program should contact the Office of Attorney General at 570-826-2483.
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
