PONTIAC (WWJ) -- While conducting a welfare check Friday morning, deputies with Oakland County's Crisis Response Unit discovered a Pontiac man in the middle of an opioid overdose and provided lifesaving care.
The Crisis Response Unit is a division of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), focused on connecting substance users and those with mental health problems to resources, rather than making an arrest or searching for evidence. They also follow up with those who agree to assistance.
In this case, two deputies from the unit went to an address in Pontiac around 10 a.m. Friday to follow up on a young man with a substance use and mental health disorder. A loved one had called in a welfare check because she had not heard from him for some time and became worried.
Upon arriving, officers found that the man was unresponsive at the bottom of a stairway. His eyes were open but rolling back in his head.
Deputies administered three doses of Narcan to counter the opioids the young man had taken, allowing him to regain consciousness. Now more alert, the man agreed to go to a hospital for treatment and was provided with information about the resources available to him.
OCSO says this is the first time that unit members encountered a person actively overdosing during one of their unscheduled follow-up visits.
"We continue to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "This proactive crisis intervention team is another step forward for us as an agency and a community."
"As my grandma used to say," Bouchard continued, "'The proof is in the pudding.' I know in this case, the proof from this new effort is a saved life."
The Crisis Response Unit is staffed by a sergeant and two deputies. Operations are funded by a $1.4 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and began in December 2022.
Unit members respond to service calls flagged for substance abuse or mental health issues, provide aid and try to connect those in need with programs available through hospitals or the Oakland Community Health Network. Deputies do not wear typical police uniforms and dress more casually to avoid intimidating those they are trying to assist.
Family members impacted by a loved one's substance use or mental health struggles are also eligible for help through the Crisis Response Unit.
Captain Todd Hill oversees the program and says he is hopeful that communities will see the value of the program and support expansion.
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