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Mayor Greg Fischer joined partners from across public and private sectors today to announce the development of Kentucky’s first Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, known as LEAD, to divert opioid addicted people from jails in favor of case management and treatment.
The LEAD program, which was first launched in Seattle in 2011, is an innovative pre-booking, community-based program focused on routing individuals suspected of committing low-level drug-related offenses away from jail and prosecution into treatment.
The Mayor announced the city has been awarded a $400,000 federal grant to fund a pilot project, serving 50 qualifying individuals who come into contact with police in the Portland and Russell neighborhoods over the next 18 months.
“The Opioid crisis remains a vital concern to public safety in this community,” said Mayor Fischer. “But incarceration cannot be the only option for those struggling with addiction. We must find ways to divert people to treatment and stem the tide of drug-related crime. This program is one more option for our community.”
For the past several months, the LEAD planning team has been putting together the framework for the pilot program, which is expected to be fully launched by Oct. 1.
Here’s how the program will work:
- LMPD officers working in the targeted beats in the Russell and Portland neighborhoods will use discretionary authority at the point of contact to divert eligible candidates into intervention for offenses driven by substance use disorder.
- The LMPD officer will determine eligibility for the LEAD program based on established offense criteria and criminal history exclusions. Eligible crimes will include felony possession of an opiate and possession of heroin under two grams, as well as low-level property crime stemming from opiate addiction.
- Instead of taking them to jail, officers will take those volunteering to participate to the Volunteers of America Mid-States triage location on West Broadway to be connected with a case manager.
- Within 72-hours a potential participant must complete an in-depth assessment before becoming one of the 50 pilot project participants to receive treatment and wrap-around services.
- Volunteers of America Mid-States will assume responsibility for the case management of the individuals.
- The Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky, housed at the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, will conduct the evaluation of the program.
“So often, officers come into contact with members of our community who are committing crime as part of their addiction to opioids and other drugs,” said Col. Michael Sullivan, deputy chief for Louisville Metro Police. “This gives officers a tool to divert people into treatment, rather than taking them to jail, where they may or may not get to address the underlying issue leading them to crime.”
Volunteers of America Mid-States will work with pilot program participants to coordinate services they need to get themselves back to a healthy and productive lifestyle.
“We know that we can change people’s lives when we surround them with professional care and treatment and access to comprehensive support and services,” said Jennifer Hancock, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Mid-States. “Opioid use and addiction is a public health crisis and LEAD will be successful because it offers a public health solution.”
University of Louisville’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences joins the partnership to help ensure the program is working as it should. Liza Creel, PhD, and Susan Buchino, PhD, both scholars of the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky, will conduct the evaluation.
“Our evaluation will aim to measure outcomes in the areas of recidivism, public safety, cost savings, and fidelity to the Seattle LEAD model,” Creel said. “By following an evidence-based intervention that has shown success in other communities and designing it to meet Louisville’s needs, the Louisville LEAD pilot has great potential to positively impact participant lives and our community.”
Members of the planning team working to set up the pilot include:
- Jamie Allen, Louisville Metro Criminal Justice Commission
- Debora McGill, Project Coordinator, DFM Consulting
- Todd Felty, Louisville Metro Police Department
- Lisa Langford, Jefferson County Attorney’s Office
- Ebert Haegele, Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
- Sarah Moyer, Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness
- Liza Creel, Commonwealth Institute, University of Louisville
- Susan Buchino, Commonwealth Institute, University of Louisville
- Mane Martirosyan, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections
- Margaret Pennington, REACH of Louisville
- Dan Goyette, Louisville-Jefferson County Public Defender Corporation
The Louisville Zoo welcomed a male Saharan addax calf born early morning Sunday, August 19. The mother is Patella and the father is Laird. The calf weighs a little over 18 lbs. This is the 59th calf born here at the Zoo. Addax have been a part of the Zoo since it opened in 1969.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature cites the Saharan addax as critically endangered. In 2016, field researchers estimated that less than 100 individuals remain in the remnant wild.
The addax is found in arid regions of Africa, within isolated pockets of the Sahara desert. They live in small groups of five to 15 animals that are led by a mature male.
The new Louisville Zoo calf will join the other addax on exhibit daily in the yard located near the bongo and elephant exhibits in the African zone.
A name will be announced in the coming weeks.
This addax birth was planned and is a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). Breeding plans work to maintain the genetic diversity of managed animal populations.
The Solid Waste Management Services Enforcement Department has impounded its 4th vehicle of 2018 for illegal dumping.
With the help of employees from Bulk Waste, last week a Uhaul truck in the 2500 block of W Jefferson was seen illegally dumping. The employee took pictures of the vehicle and waited until SWMS Enforcement was able to investigate.
“Once again, I commended the officers and Bulk Waste for helping us crack down on this crime,” says Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5). “Our streets and alleys are not a landfill, if you are going to remove trash and debris do it the right way or it will cost you.”
SWMS officers say once confronted, it was learned one of the individuals lived in the area and knew Bulk Waste would be in the area soon for bulky item collection. They were working at another property and hauled debris from that location and placed at a vacant property in the 2500 block of W Jefferson.
The responsible party will receive a $500 fine plus the cost of cleanup and pay approximately $500 in impound and storage fees.
Over the last several years, SWMS officers have been impounding vehicles involved in illegal dumping after the Metro Council approved a change in the Metro Code of Ordinances. The change also allows anyone who sees illegal dumping and can identify the vehicle or shoot pictures of it. Those pictures have lead officers to impound the vehicle. Eighteen vehicles were impounded in 2017.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, community leaders from the Louisville Health Advisory Board, including a young woman who lost a loved one to suicide, today urged residents to help prevent suicide by participating in a free community-wide training event.
They also established the ambitious goal of setting a Guinness world record for training the most people in a suicide prevention technique called “QPR” – Question, Persuade, Refer – during this year’s National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 9-15.
QPR is a free 90-minute training designed for anyone 18 years or older. No specialized mental health care training or expertise is required. Certified trainers will discuss myths about suicide, identify warning signs, outline how to talk with someone who may be thinking about suicide and how to persuade them to seek help.
Similar to CPR, QPR is designed to support an emergency response to someone in crisis, and to save lives.
Free trainings will be conducted at various times and locations throughout Louisville during National Suicide Prevention Week. Sign up at www.qprlou.com
“There is perhaps no greater individual tragedy than someone deliberately ending their own life,” said Mayor Fischer. “Unfortunately, Louisville has a higher rate of suicide compared to similar-sized cities. One suicide is too many. As a compassionate city, we must act. I encourage everyone to participate in this training. My team and I will. I hope you will too.”
While homicide garners much media attention both locally and nationally, suicide is more pervasive. According to the 2017 Health Equity Report there were 584 suicide deaths in Jefferson County from 2011-2015 compared to 333 homicides for the same period. According to recently published data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates are on the increase, and more than half of people who die by suicide do not have a known mental health condition.
“The rate of suicide death in Louisville is far too high,” said Dr. Val Slayton, Regional VP for Health Services, Humana. “That’s why one of the top goals of the Louisville Health Advisory Board is to make Louisville a Zero Suicide city. Each of us encounters friends and family members struggling with depression and entertaining thoughts of ending their lives. QPR training equips people to recognize warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope, and how to refer to resources to help to save a life. Early recognition of suicide warning signs can be key to saving a life”
“While suicide has received attention in the press recently because of the death of celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, we recognize that many people are uncomfortable discussing the subject, even when family or friends may be in crisis,” said Dr. David Hanna, Behavioral Health Program Manager, Passport Health Plan. “QPR training can give people the skills to make a life and death difference.”
Michelle Jones, co-founder and director of the Pete Foundation, said, “My brother Pete seemed to have everything going for him as he pursued a graduate degree in engineering. Yet he suffered from a depression that ultimately claimed his life. Today countless people are fighting depression and may be contemplating suicide. We need to equip ordinary people with the tools to recognize the signs that can lead to suicide and the skills to intervene. I urge everyone to take the QPR training.”
To learn more or sign up for a training, visit qprlou.com.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
The people of Newburg are getting ready to once again host their own special homecoming of welcoming back old friends and celebrate the unity and pride of one of Metro Louisville’s well established neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2) announces “Newburg Days” will get underway on Friday, August 31st, Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd.
“Newburg is ready to celebrate the things that make it a very special community. We like to think of the weekend as part of an old fashion family get together that is filled with events of fun and music,” says Shanklin. “It is a time to welcome back old friends who have moved on to other areas and at the same time it gives all of us a chance to catch up on what’s going on in our neighborhood.”
“Newburg Days” kicks off on Friday with rides and music in Petersburg/Newburg Park.
On Saturday, there is a Community Breakfast in Petersburg Park. The event is well known for its community parade which begins at 12:00pm and continues throughout many local streets in the Newburg area.
This year, the Battle of the Bands contest is back.
On Sunday, a community worship service and gospel festival will highlight the last day of the event.
Here is the schedule of events for Newburg Days
- Friday
- Vendor/food booths & Carnival Rides (6:00 P.M. start time)
- Saturday
- Community Breakfast 9:30 A.M. – in the park
- Community Parade – 11:30 A.M. (line-up time) start time 12:00pm
- Battle of the Bands – 1:00pm
- Live Music – 7:00pm to 9:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths/Carnival Rides – All Day
- Sunday
- Senior Lunch Community Baptist Church 1:30pm
- Gospel Festival – 5:00pm to 7:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths/Carnival Rides – All Day
Louisville Metro Parks is once again coordinating all festival events. There are also many community volunteers and organizations who will come out to help with various activities.
Petersburg Park is located at the corner of East Indian Trail and Petersburg Road. All events are centered around Petersburg Park.
“So I invite everyone to come out and see what many of us already know: Newburg is a wonderful place to live and this is just an old fashion community get together,” says Shanklin.
For more information about “Newburg Days”, contact Councilwoman Shanklin’s Office at 574-1102.
Cuddle Clones, an award-winning Louisville company that specializes in creating the highest quality custom products made to look like people’s pets, announced its inclusion in the prestigious 2018 Inc. 5000, Inc. Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Cuddle Clones’ three-year growth of 583% ranked 1st in the state of Kentucky and 66th in their category of Consumer Products, which placed them alongside previous brands as Timberland and Zappos, and 862nd overall in the United States.“Cuddle Clones perfectly encapsulates the success we strive help Kentucky startups achieve,” said Vivek Sarin, co-leader of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. “This company began as a small operation in Louisville just eight years ago, so its announcement in February of a substantial $1.3 million expansion that will create 50 jobs is truly remarkable. Cuddle Clones is a prime example of what Kentucky-grown businesses are capable of, and I strongly suspect we have not yet seen the company’s full potential.”
Cuddle Clones growth is primarily a result of investing in new technology for their ecommerce platform, digital properties, and innovating new products. “We couldn’t have achieved this growth without the contributions from our team that include superb customer service and manufacturing the highest quality products for our customers” said Cuddle Clones CEO Brennen Lawrence.
Cuddle Clones expects to be on the list again next year as the first half of 2018 has exceeded expectations. Lawrence continued “We’ve performed very well in the first half of 2018 and will release several new, exciting custom pet products prior to Q’4 that we expect to further enhance our growth.”
This newest accolade comes on the heels of being named Louisville’s fastest growing company in 2017 by Business First. “It’s always exciting when a local company receives national attention for its fast-growth expansion in a global market,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Cuddle Clones’ success exemplifies Louisville’s robust business climate that encourages new start-ups and facilitates quick scale-up of business operations. We are proud to be the home of Cuddle Clones and we look forward to its continued success.”
The gates of the Kentucky State Fair officially opened for the 2018 season on Thursday, marking the 116th Fair since becoming an official state event. Although the Fair did not earn that distinction until 1902, the event was first organized in 1816, just five years after the United States’ first fair was held in Massachusetts.
Tickets and parking can be purchased at any of the Kentucky Exposition Center’s entrance gates or online. The gates open at 7 AM each day of the Fair, with exhibits opening at 9 AM. Daily schedules can be found here. The event features numerous special days, including:
- Today – 811 Day
- Visit the Marathon Pipe Line Booth for a free T-shirt
- Sunday, August 19 – Military Sunday Salute
- Free admission for active military, veterans and families (up to 4). Discounts for Thrill Ville available. Parking not included.
- Tuesday, August 21 – Senior Day
- All seniors age 55 or older receive free admission. Parking not included.
- Kentucky Farm Bureau and Carload Day
- $20 per vehicle and $100 for vehicles with 12+ passengers. Parking included.
The Texas Roadhouse concert series that has usually been held at the old Cardinal’s Stadium has been moved to the new Bluegrass Village, near the entrance to Kentucky Kingdom. The concerts held here in the evening are included with paid fair admission. Tonight, fair visitors will be able to enjoy the music from Great White. Upcoming shows will feature:
- 8/19 – The Oak Ridge Boys
- 8/20 – Casting Crowns
- 8/21 – Happy Together Tour
- 8/22 – Chris Janson
- 8/23 – Chevelle
- 8/24 – Josh Turner
- 8/25 – The Commodores
- 8/26 – Mercyme
Visitors to the fair will also see that the exhibit hall has been arranged a bit differently. Instead of being in the West Hall, the 4H and FFA exhibits have been moved to the main exhibit hall area, in AgLand. The Discovery Farm has also been relocated into this area and features several stations to learn about livestock and a dairy cow demonstration.
Starting tonight, visitors will be able to attend to the World’s Championship Horse Show . Tickets are sold separately. Tonight, starting at 6 PM, is the last night for the Miniature Horse Show. If you have never attended this event, it is very entertaining. Many of the competitions highlight the ability of the miniature horse to be a service animal and it’s a great way for young people to get experience in a competition setting.
Whether you are there for the crazy fair food, like a funnel cake fries burger, the livestock, the music or the market area, there is something for everyone at the Kentucky State Fair.
