Justin Volpe

A peer specialist is somebody with lived experience in the jail diversion program. So As soon as I got it and understood what I had to do to maintain, I was given the opportunity to give service to others being released from the justice system.

And I did that for 14 years, Tony, and I got thousands of people out of incarceration to help them get back on their feet and stay out of places like the streets and the hospitals and the jails by trying things a different way.

And I did that for 14 years, Tony, and I got thousands of people out of incarceration to help them get back on their feet and stay out of places like the streets and the hospitals and the jails by trying things a different way.

And I did that for 14 years, Tony, and I got thousands of people out of incarceration to help them get back on their feet and stay out of places like the streets and the hospitals and the jails by trying things a different way.

A peer specialist and a peer role is really a mutual understanding that you have with the people that you're working with. So The unique style that I really had to do was become a bridger in the community. So many different people don't talk to each other. The jails and the courts don't talk to the treatment providers. They don't talk to the housing providers.

A peer specialist and a peer role is really a mutual understanding that you have with the people that you're working with. So The unique style that I really had to do was become a bridger in the community. So many different people don't talk to each other. The jails and the courts don't talk to the treatment providers. They don't talk to the housing providers.

A peer specialist and a peer role is really a mutual understanding that you have with the people that you're working with. So The unique style that I really had to do was become a bridger in the community. So many different people don't talk to each other. The jails and the courts don't talk to the treatment providers. They don't talk to the housing providers.

They don't talk to transportation providers. And a peer specialist, my role was to really get everybody on the same page and hustle out there on the street every day because I didn't work in the office. I was on the street hustling for people to keep them out of these systems. And some of that was having open lines of communication, showing up for people to doctor's appointments.

They don't talk to transportation providers. And a peer specialist, my role was to really get everybody on the same page and hustle out there on the street every day because I didn't work in the office. I was on the street hustling for people to keep them out of these systems. And some of that was having open lines of communication, showing up for people to doctor's appointments.

They don't talk to transportation providers. And a peer specialist, my role was to really get everybody on the same page and hustle out there on the street every day because I didn't work in the office. I was on the street hustling for people to keep them out of these systems. And some of that was having open lines of communication, showing up for people to doctor's appointments.

bringing them to court, getting them clothes, getting them food, getting them transportation, all in their wellness journey to actually avoid a justice system where that would not help get them better.

bringing them to court, getting them clothes, getting them food, getting them transportation, all in their wellness journey to actually avoid a justice system where that would not help get them better.

bringing them to court, getting them clothes, getting them food, getting them transportation, all in their wellness journey to actually avoid a justice system where that would not help get them better.

Yeah, thanks for mentioning that. I do CIT training. I've trained over 3,500 police officers in Miami-Dade County, and that training would help keep somebody out of the justice system altogether at first. So if a police officer received that training, they should, if they spot somebody in crisis, be able to de-escalate them and not arrest them and get them to the proper resources if needed.

Yeah, thanks for mentioning that. I do CIT training. I've trained over 3,500 police officers in Miami-Dade County, and that training would help keep somebody out of the justice system altogether at first. So if a police officer received that training, they should, if they spot somebody in crisis, be able to de-escalate them and not arrest them and get them to the proper resources if needed.

Yeah, thanks for mentioning that. I do CIT training. I've trained over 3,500 police officers in Miami-Dade County, and that training would help keep somebody out of the justice system altogether at first. So if a police officer received that training, they should, if they spot somebody in crisis, be able to de-escalate them and not arrest them and get them to the proper resources if needed.

That's not a jail cell.

That's not a jail cell.

That's not a jail cell.

A little bit. I've done some training with the mobile crisis teams that would actually respond other than police if a call comes into a crisis line. And we've done some training with 911 operators so they can help distinguish a call that may be someone in crisis so they know the kind of vibe or what that feels like.