Chesterfield County is implementing a range of programs aimed at addressing substance use disorders and mental health challenges in the community. These efforts focus on prevention, treatment, and reducing strain on emergency services.
Since 2017, Chesterfield Fire and EMS has worked with the Community Services Board (CSB) to include a Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS) within its Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) team. A PRS uses their own experiences with mental health or substance use issues to support others seeking recovery. The partnership ensures that when Narcan is used during an opioid overdose, follow-up care continues beyond the initial emergency response.
The MIH program helps high-risk individuals who frequently call 911 for non-emergency situations by connecting them with hospitals, nonprofits, and other health providers. This approach reduces repeated emergency calls and hospital visits.
A key initiative under MIH is the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, started in January 2023. Clinicians use Suboxone to help patients manage withdrawal symptoms and opioid dependence. Working alongside CSB and Telehealth services, the MAT program offers immediate steps toward long-term recovery for those affected by opioid addiction.
The Chesterfield County Police Department supports public safety through enforcement and proactive community care. With more than 500 sworn officers, 100 professional staff members, and volunteers, they address both crime prevention and wellness needs in the community.
To address prescription medication misuse—which often comes from family or friends—the department promotes safe disposal practices through drop-off kiosks, take-back events, and free medication disposal pouches. Proper disposal prevents drug abuse as well as environmental harm from improper methods such as flushing or trashing medications.
In July 2023, Chesterfield introduced the Co-Response (CORE) Team. This unit pairs police officers with behavioral health clinicians when responding to mental health crisis calls. Clinicians are not present at active crime scenes or where weapons are involved but join after situations are stabilized to provide follow-up services.
To handle increased non-emergency calls, Chesterfield also established the Strategic Planning Individuals in Need or Transition (SPRINT) Team. SPRINT provides resources or wellness checks for people not in immediate crisis but still requiring assistance; it handled over 100 cases in its first year.
Since 2016, the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office has run Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP), a peer-led recovery program for inmates dealing with addiction. HARP separates participants from the general jail population and addresses root causes such as trauma and mental illness using medically assisted treatment combined with community involvement.
“HARP doesn’t just help inmates—it transforms them into leaders and healers,” according to information about the program. “It doesn’t just offer treatment—it builds a community rooted in accountability, empathy, and long-term recovery.”
County officials say these integrated programs—MIH, CORE, SPRINT, HARP—are changing how public safety is defined locally by emphasizing prevention through coordinated support rather than only emergency response.
Despite ongoing challenges related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl affecting communities nationwide https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html , Chesterfield continues expanding access to care for those facing addiction or mental health struggles.
