CARE Office Gives Presentation to Charleston City Council

The Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) Office gave a presentation to Charleston City Council tonight reporting on their work over the past eighteen months. CARE Director Emily Hanna gave a brief overview about the formation of the office, outlined their mission and objectives, and gave details about the outcomes they have seen getting people into treatment and through the Family Reunification Program.

In the month of April 2021, 13 people went into treatment, 13 were reunited with loved ones as part of the Family Reunification Program and 65 were helped by the Quick Response Team.

“Throughout the pandemic we have seen the need for homeless services, mental health services and substance use treatment on the rise,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “Our CARE Office has been working diligently to get people housed and into treatment to create a better quality of life for those struggling.”

The CARE team is comprised of four full-time team members – the CARE Director, Homeless Outreach Coordinator, Mental Health Coordinator and QRT Team Coordinator – that work alongside the Charleston Police Department and Charleston Fire Department.

“The collaboration between the CARE Office, Charleston Police Department and Charleston Fire Department has proven successful as we are seeing folks entering treatment and being helped by our services,” said Emily Hanna, Director of the CARE Office. “We look forward to expanding our reach and helping more people in our Capital City.”

The City of Charleston's Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) is an initiative launched in 2019 by Mayor Amy Goodwin to coordinate, enhance, and expand efforts to address the impact of substance use disorder (SUD) on individuals, families, and communities in Charleston, West Virginia.