Season 1 Episode 3: Building Bridges: Connecting Care Systems for Opioid Recovery with Angel Lash

In this episode, host Bianca D. McCall interviews Angel Lash, MS, LADC, CPC-I, Coordinator, Nevada 8th Judicial District Court, a mental health professional working within the justice system and leader of the innovative Lima Program in Las Vegas. They discuss Angel's work in coordinating a program that partners with the Metropolitan Police Department in Las Vegas to help individuals experiencing homelessness, substance misuse, and mental health issues. They also discuss the importance of connection, empathy, and representation in serving vulnerable populations. Angel shares insights on how professionals can better serve the chronically unhoused population with substance use and mental health needs, emphasizing the need for communication, compassion, and cultural sensitivity.About Angel Lash, LADC, CPC-Intern, Coordinator, Nevada 8th Judicial District CourtAngel Lash is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Certified Professional Counselor Intern in the state of Nevada. Angel has worked in the substance abuse and behavioral health field for over a decade. She currently works under the 8th District Court umbrella as a Specialty Court Specialty coordinating care Law Enforcement Intervention for Mental Health Addiction Diversion Program (LIMA Diversion Program) a partnership between LVMPD and the 8th Judicial District Court Program. The LIMA Diversion Program provides a voluntary pathway to recovery for individuals suffering from substance abuse issues, homelessness, and/or mental health issues. The LIMA Diversion Program helps move individuals away from the justice system without entering and works to address the individuals, addiction, and mental health challenges by connecting them to community partners to address their layers of needs. Angel and the LIMA Diversion Program has received acknowledgements from the community. In 2021 Angel Lash received an award from a local non-profit as a Community Shining Star and LVMPD Behavioral Health Unit recognized Angel’s exceptional dedication to the success of the LIMA Program. In 2022, Angel and the LIMA Program were nominated for The Is No Hero in Heroin’s community awards for several categories including, Hero of the Year, Boots on the Ground, and Crushing Stigma & Silos, and Angel won TINHIH’s Boots on the Ground Award. The LIMA Diversion Program was nominated again the following year in 2023 for the Crushing Stigma and Silos Award. In 2023, Angel Lash won Public Health Leader of the Year by Nevada’s Public Health Association.Episode ResourcesEpisode Webpage and TranscriptLIMA Diversion Program Flyer (PDF)LIMA Diversion Program Benchmarks (PDF)Funding for this activity was made possible in whole or in part by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director’s Office through the Fund for a Resilient Nevada, established in Nevada Revised Statutes 433.712 through 433.744. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence or its funders.