JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Clark County had roughly 170 drug overdose hospitalizations and deaths last year. The Indiana Department of Health said more than a dozen of those were children younger than 14 years old.

Now, the police departments in Clarksville and Charlestown are teaming up with a recovery organization to end the cycle of addiction.

The agencies are working with Project CARE in Jeffersonville on the initiative. The goal is to provide support to individuals within 48 to 72 hours after an overdose. That's the typical "recovery window," a time when individuals with a substance use disorder are thought to be more open to accepting help.

Project CARE Team

Kelsey Christian (right) and these two other Project CARE employees are the ones who knock on doors with the police officers to offer resources in Clark County. 

Clarksville Police Chief Nathan Walls, who worked in narcotics for a decade, said drug overdose victims are getting younger each year.

"We have those calls weekly and sometimes daily," Walls said. "We're begging for resources in hopes that we can help people."

Project CARE answered that plea. "CARE" stands for Collaborative Access to Recovery Engagement, and meets people where they are in their journey to recovery. It's a collaboration with medical providers, first responders and law enforcement.

The organization has been serving Jeffersonville residents since August 2021. Project CARE members have been knocking on doors and handing out Narcan and other resources with a 79% success rate. Roughly 500 people have gotten care after an overdose or substance use. 

Project CARE Program Manager Kelsey Christian said substance abuse is treatable.

"Our initial goal whenever we first started this program was to reduce the number of overdose fatalities that we saw in our communities," said Christian.

The nonprofit is now expanding into Clarksville and Charlestown. Those police departments are building a list of people for representatives from Project CARE to visit. 

"There are some times where incidents happen in Jeffersonville, but that person may live in another community," Christian said. "Therefore we are unable to do an in-person follow-up."

Walls said it made sense for his department to join Project CARE in its efforts. 

Jeffersonville Police with Project CARE representatives

Members of the Jeffersonville Police Department pose for a photo with representatives from Project CARE in Jeffersonville, Ind. when the partnership began in 2021.

"They've had great success in Jeffersonville, Indiana," Walls said. "It just seems like a no-brainer for us to just want to bring it here."

Walls said the police department's participation in the program is not meant to condone or encourage drug use. 

"We're we're not wanting people to feel comfortable using drugs in Clarksville at all," he said. "But we do recognize the need, especially for these children."

Walls said preventing someone from overdosing again is huge.

"If we don't have to go back or we see somebody out that's recovered, that's the result we're looking for," he said.

If you or a loved one are in need of recovery resources in Clark County you can call the Project CARE's hotline at: (812) 206-9000. You can also visit the program's website by clicking here.

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