AG awards $465G to Lynn schools, police

LYNN ? A case manager will work alongside local police officers to provide initial help and treatment referrals to mentally ill and drug-abusing people, the attorney general’s office announced.The Police Department and Lynn Community Health Center are dividing up $465,000 recovered, according to the AG’s statement, through a settlement with Janssen, a pharmaceutical firm. The award is part of an $8 million settlement divided up by the AG’s office among 22 organizations across the state.The statement said $250,000 provided to the Police Department will partly pay to hire a clinical coordinator and case manager “embedded with officers” to provide short-term treatment and referrals to mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.?This grant will give us the opportunity to provide these victims a direct link to the services they actually need. In today’s society, the prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse problems are a major concern and often those that are afflicted end up in the criminal justice system when, in reality, the services they need are found elsewhere,” the statement quoted police Chief Kevin Coppinger.According to the AG’s website, the settlement grew out of action brought by federal and state prosecutors concerning the marketing of antipsychotic drugs.The health center will spend $215,000 from the settlement to provide “comprehensive behavioral health services to at-risk children and youth” with services provided in three local elementary schools. Pre-kindergarten to fifth grade-age students in Brickett, Tracy and Ford Schools will be assisted through the health service programs.