CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A new position within the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is offering help with substance abuse.

What You Need To Know

  • The Citrus County Sheriff's Office has hired its first substance abuse advocate, helping those in the community who are battling addiction

  • The new role is managed by the department's Behavioral Health Unit

  • Every Friday, the unit travels to homeless encampments offering helpful supplies

  • The sheriff's office will be hosting a 'Citizen in Need' outreach event Thursday, Aug. 3

Provided by state funding, the role spans across six counties, with Citrus being one. It’s a job that is breaking barriers between law enforcement and the community.

Sydney Frisbie is no stranger to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, but something she is getting used to is her new role as a substance abuse advocate.

“I just wanted to help people - that was my main goal. Just something I could be using my degree in and helping,” she said. “After somebody has a non-fatal overdose or a first-time drug offense, I will meet with them and try and get them into a treatment program.”

Frisbie is the first to take on the new role within the department. She was working a desk job when the agency announced the un-sworn civilian position, a position managed by the Behavorial Health Unit.

“It’s a huge impact,” said Sgt. Rachel Montgomery with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s not just impacting that individual, it’s impacting families, it’s impacting employment rates, it’s impacting criminal activity within the community because most people will support their habit through creating crime.”

Community is what drives this unit. Every Friday, Frisbie and others go to homeless encampments offering helpful supplies, like an opioid overdose kit.

“That kind of breaks the barrier for them to feel comfortable talking to us,” said Frisbie. “Sometimes people in different situations don’t want to talk to law enforcement agencies, so it just kind of just removes that barrier.”

Frisbie’s post requires her to meet with patients wherever they are, whether it’s going on the road to their home or a hospital.

“I didn’t realize how many people in Citrus County had needs and needed help,” she said.

It’s an experience, Frisbie said, that has been eye-opening.

“We’re all struggling with something and we’re all dealing with people on a day-to-day basis that need assistance. So, it’s just making it so that they can feel comfortable to come get help,” she said.

Bringing with her a sense of comfort on every trip she makes.

“A community is only as strong as its individuals, so everything we can do to help make our members get on to a successful path - that’s our goal,” Frisbie said. “We just want to make our community strong and grow.”

Something she hopes to achieve every day.

The sheriff’s office will be hosting a ‘Citizen in Need’ outreach event next Thursday. They will be providing hygiene bags, hot meals, health screenings and other services.

The event will be taking place at the Daystar Life Center of Crystal River from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Learn more about the event by visiting the Citrus County Sheriff's Office website.