Families Against Narcotics is teaming up with different agencies in Macomb County to offer a new way for addicts to get help.
The pilot program is called Hope Not Handcuffs and it will begin in Roseville in early January.
"It's actually a very simple program. We're going to get the word out to anyone that's addicted to whatever drug or even alcohol, and come to the Police Department, you just ask the front desk personnel, tell them you need help, 'I need help' and we'll make two phone calls," said Roseville police Chief James Berlin.
Under the program, there is no jail time, and no questions asked.
"Were being told that addicts actually trust us once they make that decision to get them help and that's why they want to come to the Police Department, I would've thought the exact opposite because of the adversarial relationship we often have," Berlin said.
Berlin said his staff will call 'rehab angels' who will come in and help get the addicts into a rehabilitation center.
Medstar is one of the agencies involved in the program.
"By bringing the resources together the way that we have, Medstar can drop in as the always available resource, with local experience, with clinical knowledge, with the ability to work the health care and treatment system to get this person the help that they're asking for in that very, very short window of time that we have we have," said Kolby Miller, CEO of Medstar.
Katie Donovan, executive vice president of Families Against Narcotics, knows from personal experience the heroin epidemic can affect anyone anywhere.
"My daughter herself had struggled with heroin addiction for about seven years and I too was that mom that had absolutely no idea that this was occurring, especially in the suburbs," Donovan said. "We were that normal family, I was the PTA mom the Brownie leader and my husband and I had very good careers. We had dinners at the table."
Donovan said FAN's Hope Not Handcuffs is modeled off a program started in Gloucester Massachusetts by police Chief Leonard Campanello in 2015.
Hope Not Handcuffs will start in Roseville and when someone struggling walks into a police station, a volunteer "angel" will be called. That angel will help them fill out some simple forms, offer compassion and support, while calls are being made to substance abuse programs to find a bed.
In addition to Medstar, the Macomb Medical Control Authority will also be involved.
For more information on Families Against Narcotics, click here.