Recovery specialists would respond to Pittsburgh overdose calls in $1M pilot program

Pittsburgh is looking to launch a pilot program that would help people who have overdosed.

In the proposed Post Overdose Support Team — or POST — pilot program, teams of certified peer recovery specialists and case managers would respond to overdose calls and help connect overdose victims with recovery services, said Emily Bourne, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety.

“Many people who have overdosed refuse transport to the hospital by EMS,” Bourne said. “While this is unfortunate, it affords the POST team its opportunity.”

She described the POST team as a “secondary response” that would step in once EMS has handled “immediate patient needs while the overdose is occurring.”

POST workers would help overdose victims connect to services that can help them recover, including treatment of substance abuse and mental health disorders, Bourne said.

Legislation to authorize the pilot program was introduced to City Council on Tuesday. It would be funded with a $1 million federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Council could take a preliminary vote on the measure as soon as next week, with a final vote as soon as the following week.

If approved, the pilot program would run for a year and focus on the Downtown area, where there is a “disproportionate number of overdoses,” according to Bourne.

The pilot would include a project manager, a community engagement coordinator, three case managers and three peer recovery specialists.