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FRAMINGHAM – Sarah Abbott, Ph.D., program director of the jail diversion programs at Advocates, a provider of services to individuals facing life challenges, has received an award from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (for Exemplary Performance for Clinical Collaboration with Law Enforcement.
Abbott, who joined Advocates in 1997, was honored during the Department’s annual Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference at Fitchburg State University.
Advocates’ jail diversion programs operate in conjunction with the Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Sherborn, and Watertown police departments. The programs were created with the understanding that by working together, mental health clinicians and police officers can respond more appropriately to the needs of community members with mental illness.
Abbott, along with Ashland Police Department Chief Craig Davis, developed the first jail diversion program in Framingham in 2003 while Davis was a deputy chief with the Framingham Police Department, and went on to expand the program on a regional basis. The Department also honored Chief Davis with an award for Exemplary Performance for Leadership in Law Enforcement.
“It is an honor to receive this award from DMH, especially alongside Chief Davis, with whom I have been working closely for many years,” said Abbott. “Together, we are able to provide compassionate justice for individuals with mental illness.”
Advocates’ mental health clinicians train – and work alongside police officers – to help evaluate behavior and determine appropriate treatment. Working with jail diversion clinicians gives police officers the opportunity to ensure that those they encounter receive timely, quality mental health services.
“We are very proud of Sarah and all the work she has done to get our jail diversion programs to where they are today,” said Diane Gould, CEO of Advocates. “These programs have already been implemented in several Massachusetts communities and I look forward to serving more individuals through the continued expansion of the program.”
