Melissia Larson oversees the development and implementation of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) sites across the State and provides training to law enforcement on harm reduction topics. Her professional interests include increasing awareness among law enforcement on how harm reduction plays a critical role in their response along with creating understanding of the intersection of co-occurring disorders within the justice system.
She is an experienced public safety project director with over 20 years within the area of criminal justice and public safety initiatives. She has directed numerous collaborative initiatives to include preventing and responding to human trafficking, domestic violence homicide prevention, and diversion of justice involved people with mental illness. During her career, Melissia has provided technical assistance on a variety of issues and was on the forefront for North Carolina law enforcement agencies implementing permanent drop-off boxes for unwanted prescription pills and for the law enforcement deployment of naloxone. Melissia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.