South Dakota State University’s START-SD program hosted a free first responder summit on August 25 in Chamberlain to examine mental health and addiction as they relate to emergency response. Thirty-two individuals attended the event, which featured keynote presentations, panel discussions, patient testimonials, and sessions on peer recovery.
START-SD—standing for Stigma, Treatment, Avoidance and Recovery in time for South Dakota—is a federal grant-funded program that has been combating substance use disorder since 2019. Program Director Erin Miller explained the critical role of first responders: “First responders are sometimes the people that have the first and/or most frequent contact with those struggling with mental health issues, including addiction… The interaction with individuals struggling with mental health and addiction issues can also have a big impact on whether or not an individual seeks treatment.”
Summit Topics and Presentations
Keynote speaker Amanda Reed, a licensed clinical psychologist in Sioux Falls, presented on “Traumatic Stress and Emergency Services,” discussing what traumatic stress looks like and its behavioral, emotional, and physiological effects. A panel discussion on care coordination included Betsy Schuster, vice president of program development at the Helpline Center; Noreen Plumage, director of problem-solving courts for South Dakota; Randee Peterson, substance use disorder program manager for the South Dakota Department of Social Services; and Rebecca Brown, adult diversion coordinator for Minnehaha County.
Officer Donnie Varnell discussed “Barbecue and Sweet Tea: the challenging role of law enforcement in the opioid crisis and building partnerships with public health,” sharing his evolving perspectives as a law enforcement officer. Face It TOGETHER addiction treatment center representatives presented on “Using Peer Coaching to Improve Patient Outcomes.” Community Care Coordinator Irene Arango Gomez noted that the summit demonstrated the importance of awareness and coordination: “Understanding who else is out there and being able to work with one another and utilize each other so we are not duplicating resources is important in ensuring we can properly assist those in the community.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2023/09/start-sd-program-hosts-first-responder-summit-addiction-mental-health