Merakey – Police Assisted Diversion (PAD) Program
Title: Navigating Urban Care: A Summer Experience at Merakey PAD in Kensington
Student Interns:
Gabriel De Jesus
Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
Haley Masters
Drexel University College of Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Charlene Chen, MD
Esperanza Health Center
Community Preceptor:
David Malloy, MSW
Merakey PAD
Community Site:
Merakey provides recovery services to help people struggling with substance use disorder. The Merakey Police Assisted Diversion (PAD) program works in collaboration with the Office of Public Safety of the Philadelphia Police Department and various social service providers to defer people from the criminal justice system by connecting them to behavioral and social health services. Merakey staff work collaboratively with the Behavior Health Unit, East Service Detail, and Central Service Detail to provide services instead of criminal prosecution. Merakey’s mobile team supports the local schools and community to create a safe environment for kids to learn and the community to thrive.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns worked with Merakey’s outreach specialists. Their main role was to engage with people who walked in, address their needs, help with assessments, provide support for diversions, and work collaboratively with citywide partners. The interns’ primary focus this summer was meeting the ever-evolving needs of the Kensington community.
Reflections
“It was such a rewarding experience to be able to give back to the Kensington community. Every week provides a new opportunity to learn more about the community as well as the available resources within the area. As a law student, it was enjoyable to view how the criminal justice system intersects with the healthcare system and the alternative pathways available within diversion programs. As a law student, I enjoyed gaining firsthand exposure to the intersections between the criminal justice system and the healthcare system.”
Gabriel De Jesus
“This program has been extremely beneficial for my development as a physician. As a medical student, I enjoyed learning about the interdisciplinary health needs of this population as well as working collaboratively with the CAMP team from Penn Medicine. The hands-on experience with this acute population and those working with this group have helped me understand more about the pre-hospital healthcare system. From a personal development perspective, I have learned to call out the stigmatization this population faces and work to be their advocate in the healthcare system.”
Haley Masters