Snyder County Joins AG Shapiro’s Treatment Initiative

January 19, 2022 | Topic: LETI

Announcement Marks 13th County to Join OAG’s Program with Local Law Enforcement to Connect Individuals Suffering from Addiction with Treatment

PENNSYLVANIA—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that Snyder County has joined the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI), a program launched by Attorney General Shapiro in collaboration with law enforcement that provides assistance to Pennsylvanians suffering from substance use disorders in enrolling in a treatment program. Twelve counties across the Commonwealth have previously joined the LETI program.

PA LETI allows Pennsylvanians seeking treatment for addiction to use their local law enforcement, including sheriffs, probation officers, and parole officers as a resource to contact participating treatment partners without the threat of arrest.

“We lose 14 Pennsylvanias a day to the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Connecting individuals to the treatment they need will save lives, make our communities stronger, and help minimize the stigma associated with substance use disorder. I commend District Attorney Mike Piecuch and our law enforcement partners across Snyder County for implementing this program in their communities.”

Shapiro said partnering Snyder County law enforcement agencies under PA LETI will:

  • Open their station doors to those suffering from addiction.
  • Help identify treatment for those who seek it.
  • Assist with ensuring that people have transportation to the facilities.
  • Maintain relationships with local treatment providers to understand availability, and collect data to study outcomes.

In Snyder County, individuals can contact a member of law enforcement at any time to ask for a referral or to be connected to treatment with no threat of arrest or prosecution. This policy also includes the ability for law enforcement to connect individuals to treatment at their discretion.

“Treatment of substance use disorders is a proven crime prevention tool.  I’ve seen first-hand how the Snyder-Union Treatment Court Program has significantly reduced new criminal offenses by its participants by connecting them with the help they need.  Establishing LETI here is a natural extension of those efforts.  I want to thank the Attorney General and his staff for their cooperation and assistance launching LETI here in Snyder County,” said Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch.

Agent Janene Holter, PhD, is the Office of Attorney General’s dedicated full-time agent who coordinates PA LETI. Her work includes training, writing policies for each participating county, providing sample policies and documents, and convening key community stakeholders.

LETI currently operates in Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Clearfield, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Mifflin, Montgomery, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Somerset counties. District Attorneys in Pennsylvania interested in starting a PA LETI program should contact the Office of Attorney General at 570-826-2483.

# # #