Goldfarb Joins CLEAR Staff

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Fighting the opioid crisis has been something Winthrop has embraced with its police officers and recovery coaches reaching out to those in need.

Now, they have a new tool to add to the battle in the form of a social worker who will be working with police.

Deb Goldfarb, a social worker with Boston Medical Center, has come on board working 10 hours a week to support the police and recovery coaches.

“She’s a positive addition to the CLEAR (Community Law Enforcement Assisted Recovery) team,” said Winthrop’s Public Health Nurse Deanna Faretra.

The position is a $30,000 grant funded for three years. Supported by the state Department of Mental Health, the grant is shared between the police department and health department.

“I’m here to assist the police and to better improve responses to matters such as substance use and mental health issues,” Goldfarb said, adding that she would be doing some in-service training.

Goldfarb is well-suited to work with the commonwealth’s prison system and with North Suffolk Mental Health.

“We will be getting referrals from the police and recovery coaches on welfare needs,” Goldfarb said. “To see if there is a desire for services. I can also connect people with resources for mental health, finances and housing.”

So far, Goldfarb has been working on logistics and setting up her work.

“There’s been a large push in the last three years to get appropriate services,” Goldfarb said.