The Illinois-based non-profit organization TASC, or Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, works to reduce justice involvement for individuals with substance use or mental health conditions by connecting them with treatment and community-based services. Committed to building a healthier, safer, and more just society, TASC is launching a Deflection Initiative locally, explains Senior Program Manager Koren VanderWeele:
“The WISE Deflection Initiative, WISE stands for the Western Illinois Support and Engagement Initiative, it is a regional deflection effort that is serving, Knox, Warren, Henry, Mercer, and Rock Island Counties. Instead of defaulting to the justice system, WISE is helping to connect people to different services and support before an arrest happens. They are really trying to bring together our first responders, service providers, and community leaders to collaborate to make sure there is a connection made, that we are not leaving people just kind of hanging. This is working to improve communication and reduces red tape coming across agencies as they are partnering together, they are figuring out how to make processes smoother, remove barriers for people to getting into treatment, working to support education, outreach, and prevention. Then, also just build a stronger, more informed community because they want the community to know where they can turn for help.”
VanderWeele informs the WISE Deflection Initiative has been in the works for over a year and will officially go live on Tuesday, July 29th, where there will also be a celebration and informative event at the Grace Anglican Church in Galesburg beginning at 1 pm.
