NATIONAL NIGHT OUT- Snohomish Overdose Prevention

This is the fourth in the series about organizations that offer help to the public that attended the National Night Out festivities at Willis Tucker Park on August 6, 2019.

As part of Snohomish County’s response to the county’s the opioid epidemic, the Snohomish Health District set up a web site to educate the public about opioids and heroin and provide a listing of treatment centers in Snohomish County.

The Health District gives talks to various groups about opioids/heroin and it gives naloxone (Narcan) training. It also works with the Snohomish County Multi-Agency Coordination Group which is the county’s organization that coordinates efforts to end the opioid epidemic. Other members of the group include South Snohomish County Fire and Rescue, Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, Snohomish County Human Services, the Snohomish County Executive’s Office, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Everett Police Department.

For more information about opioids, preventing addiction to them, and finding treatment to opioid addiction, go to,



Snohomish Overdose Prevention:

https://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/



            On Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/NoOverdoseSnoCo/



UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute:

http://stopoverdose.org/

HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA- Police Deploy Addiction Counselor

You probably have heard about the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office’s Law Enforcement Embedded Social Worker program that embeds social workers with deputies who contact the homeless and offers drug addiction and mental health treatment. While Snohomish County is a leader in developing this type of approach to reducing drug addiction, other jurisdictions in the US are also adopting this new way of trying to reduce addiction.

Last night, CBS News’ 60 Minutes aired a segment on the police department in Huntington West Virginia which is using an addiction counselor on drug raids. The police department changed its approach when one day the town experienced 26 overdoses due to a batch of fentanyl laced heroin in just 4 hours.

Read the transcript of the segment below if you did not see last night’s episode of 60 minutes.



CBS News:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-bring-addiction-counselor-on-drug-raids-to-fight-opioid-crisis/

PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS- How You Can Protect Yourself from Addiction

Opioids are highly addictive drugs. While they provide relief from pain especially after an accident or surgery, health and medical professionals have taken a second, more careful look at the use of opioids in reaction to the opioid crisis that has built up in the last few years.

While all people are not destined to become addicted to opioids, science cannot currently predict who is susceptible to opioid addiction. However, studies show how addictive opioids can be to an individual,

·         Nationally, 4 of every 5 new heroin addictions started with a person misusing prescription painkillers.

·         In Washington State, 57 percent of people currently using heroin were dependent on prescription opioids before they began using heroin.

Opioids bind themselves to a receptor in the brain blocking pain and increasing a sense of pleasure or euphoria. The problem with long term use of opioids is that the body builds up a tolerance to the drug, requiring more of the drug to work. Eventually there is no euphoria, but not using the drug makes the individual extremely sick, like the worst flu symptoms you have ever experienced. This is withdrawal. Withdrawal acts like a stone wall discouraging non-use of the drug.

And the risk of becoming addicted increases the longer you take the drug.

So, what can you do? If you and your doctor are planning major surgery consider the following,

·         Talk with your doctor about other methods to relieve pain such as over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, exercise, or professional help coping with the emotional effects of pain.

·         If you do need opioids, your prescription should only be for a 3 to 7-day supply and you should take the lowest dose possible for the shortest period.

·         Securely store opioids away from kids and teens.

·         Safely dispose of any extra opioids that you do not need.

Local health officials are trying to educate the public to the benefits of opioids and to their dangers so that we as individuals can make more educated decisions when we are faced with surgeries or other situations that may cause pain.

For more about opioids, check out the following links.

Washington Health Alliance:

http://www.breecollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/WHA-Bree-Opioid-Consumer-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Overdose Prevention Resource Guide:

http://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/treatment-and-support/

Medical Education and Disposal Project:

https://med-project.org/locations/snohomish/

Snohomish Overdose Prevention:

http://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/

The Herald:

https://www.heraldnet.com/marketplace/what-you-need-to-know-about-prescription-opioids/

OPIOID CRISIS- Finding Fixes

As Snohomish County works to control the heroin and opioid epidemic in the county, citizens may not understand just what it takes to find solutions to this problem.

Recently, InvestigateWest, a nonprofit journalism organization, began publishing a series of podcasts that document the county’s heroin/opioid prevention efforts under the title “Finding Fixes.” The podcasts tell the story of how the county is trying to work towards solutions from the viewpoints of the participants including the officials developing programs and the victims who are trying to control their addictions.

On Thursday November 8^th, Sno-Isle Libraries will be hosting a public meeting that it advertises as a local debut of the podcast under the title “Behind the Scenes of Finding Fixes.” At the meeting, citizens will be able to talk to the producers and hosts, Anna Boiko-Weyrauch and Kyle Norris, as well as local leaders, healthcare providers and community members who have been featured so far in the first 5 episodes of the podcast.

The event will be held on November 8^th from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Sno-Isle Service Center at 7312 35^th Ave NE, Marysville.

You can listen to the podcasts online at https://www.findingfixes.com/ or through your podcast provider.

Sno-Isle Libraries:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=6088

ABANDONED HOMES- What to do with a Nuisance Property in your Neighborhood

Having a home that appears to have been abandoned is disconcerting for any neighborhood. The potential for decline with unused buildings and the potential for crime around those buildings brings fear to neighbors. Abandoned properties can attract squatters whose practices often accelerates the decline of the property. Drug use can occur along with disorderly conduct, prostitution, and burglary rings, using the property for storing stolen goods or as a chop shop for stolen vehicles or even stolen bikes.

For neighbors it can be frustrating to know what to do in these circumstances. Probably the best advice is to call 911 when you see suspicious activity.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has a “Nuisance Property Program” that has received publicity in social media and the local press. The Sheriff’s Office works with the Snohomish County Health District, Snohomish County code enforcement and human services to encourage landowners to clean up the properties and to remove the threat of decline and crime. Working with other parts of county government helps to ensure compliance with health and building codes and, where possible, to get help for squatters who may have drug addiction or mental health problems.

Often the challenge is to find who owns the property. The county needs an owner’s cooperation to declare squatters as trespassers. It obviously needs the owner to bring the property into compliance with local ordinances. It can be difficult to find someone who is responsible for the property, especially if it has going into foreclosure. Owners may be out of state, elderly, deceased, or even in prison or in the long-term care of a hospital or nursing home.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages all property owners to visit their properties to ensure it is secure and safe.

In most cases, property owners cooperate, especially when they receive notices from several county departments.

While the county does the heavy lifting, finding owners, notifying them, in some cases convincing them that they have a responsibility to comply with the law, neighbors may not see much improvement. Keeping an eye on the property and calling 911 when they see crime in progress or a life-threatening incident in progress, and calling the non-emergency number, (425) 407-3999, for any potential violations help the Sheriff’s Office and the other county agencies to know what is going on at the property.

You can also file a complaint with the health district for issues such as garbage being left on a property and with county code enforcement for violations of the county building code. See the links below for information on how to file a complaint.

Also, keep your own property safe by implementing practical burglary and car theft/car prowl prevention practices.

As Deputy Dave Chitwood puts it, “This is a process.” It may not go as fast as anyone likes, but persistence by the county and by the community at large will reduce the effects of abandoned properties.

The Herald:

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/no-one-likes-living-next-door-to-a-trashy-smelly-house/

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/3948/The-Opioid-Crisis

Snohomish Health District:

https://snohomishonline.envisionconnect.com/#/home

Snohomish County Code Enforcement:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/1152/Code-Enforcement

SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT- Expanding Needle Cleanup Program

The Snohomish Health District is expanding the number of locations that citizens can pick up needle clean-up kits starting on Wednesday. With the danger of needles left on the ground volunteer and neighborhood groups along with individuals have been working to pick up and safely dispose of the stray needles.

The health district has been providing free kits at its Everett headquarters. Beginning Wednesday, citizens can pick up kits at the Snohomish Health District Everett headquarters, the Everett and Lynnwood city halls and the Arlington and Monroe police departments.

The kits include a Sharps container (to hold syringes), puncture-proof gloves, safety glasses, tongs, hand sanitizer and instructions.

Once full, citizens can drop off Sharps containers at the Everett, Arlington and Mountlake Terrace recycling and transfer stations, the Monroe Police department or the health district.

The health district attempts to tackle the county’s opioid crisis from multiple angles including prevention, education and treatment. It also coordinates with several agencies and organizations. Distribution of the needle clean-up kits allows the public to be safely involved in helping to keep Snohomish County a clean and safe community.

Snohomish Overdose Prevention:

http://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/clean-up/

The Herald:

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/needle-program-expanding-across-county/

OPIOIDS/HEROIN- A Guide for Parents to Help Their Children

Much of the publicity around the current Opioid/heroin crisis in Snohomish County has been focused on the homeless. However, teens or young adults, with good living conditions, can develop a dependency on opioids.

For these individuals, often the best source of help can come from their families. But, parents or siblings usually do not have the training or experience to help their children or brother or sister obtain help for their addiction.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has developed a resource guide for parents to help them support their children who may have become involved with opioids. It also provides tips on ways to prevent children from becoming involved with drugs.

This thoughtful guide is worth reading, especially if your child may be in danger of becoming involved with opioids or heroin or if you suspect that they are already involved.

Some of its key points include:

1.      Have an on-going conversation with your teen or young adult about the risks of drugs.

2.      Seek non-opioids alternatives to manage your child’s pain.

3.      Monitor, secure and properly dispose of any prescription pain medications in your home.

4.      Know the sign of opioid misuse.

5.      Get an evaluation to determine your treatment options if your child is misusing opioids.

6.      Get and know how to use Naloxone (Narcan).

7.      Practice self-care including counseling for yourself and attending a support group.

This excellent guide goes into depth on all of the above recommendations. To download it, go to the following link,

Heroin, Fentanyl & Other Opioids:

https://drugfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Heroin-Fentanyl-Other-Opioids-eBook-Partnership-for-Drug-Free-Kids.pdf?utm_source=email&utm_medium=parent&utm_campaign=opioid-ebook-release

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids:

https://drugfree.org/

Snohomish Overdose Prevention:

http://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/

Opioid Affected Families:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/opioidaffectedfamilies/posts/?ref=page_internal

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/new-support-group-for-those-whose-loved-ones-battle-opioids/

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 7

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

The seventh and final goal is to expand access to treatment. It recommends support and expanded statewide and local non-traditional law enforcement approaches, such as drug courts, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, and embedded social workers.

This goal looks at opioid addiction more as a disease than just a criminal justice problem. As a disease opioid addiction needs treatment. The report points out that there is a shortage of treatment services in Washington State for people entering and leaving the criminal justice system. It also says that there is a shortage in “aftercare” services such as connecting people in recovery to housing and employment.

It points to a 2016 U.S. Surgeon General report that “…nationally just ten percent of Americans facing drug addiction obtain treatment, in part due to limited availability and affordability of services.”

The report encourages continuation of drug courts to use treatment as an alternative to sentencing and supervision when possible. The principle of drug courts "is that treating participants' underlying substance abuse disorder can lower recidivism." Snohomish County has a Family Drug Treatment Court, an Adult Drug Treatment Court and a Juvenile Offender Drug Treatment Court.

Local law enforcement agencies can also help guide opioid addicts toward treatment. In King County the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program diverts people arrested for low-level, non-violent offenses, such as drug possession, minor property crimes, prostitution, etc., into drug treatment and support services instead of into the court system. In Snohomish County, the both the city of Everett and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office embeds social workers with police officers in its Everett Police Community Outreach and Enforcement Team and the Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Neighborhood’s Homeless Outreach team who find treatment for willing and qualifying homeless.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html).

The third goal is to reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states_30.html.

The fourth goal is to disrupt and dismantle organizations responsible for trafficking narcotics  http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html

The fifth goal is to prevent further increases in overdose deaths from fentanyl

http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states_2.html

The sixth goal is to improve overdose reporting and information sharing http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states_3.html

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 6

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

The sixth goal is to improve overdose reporting and information sharing. It has three recommendations,

1.      Direct resources toward more timely analysis of samples at the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory.

2.      Require emergency medical service providers to report patient care information, including treatment of overdoses.

3.      Require law enforcement officers to report naloxone administrations.

Data is important to analyzing any situation. Real-time overdose data can help public-health and public safety organizations respond to drug overdose patterns as they happen and to refine their intervention efforts.

Some states have centralized data clearinghouses to collect and disseminate overdose information to law enforcement, treatment and prevention organizations. Currently, the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory within the Washington State Patrol analyzes drug overdose information. It has seen a significant increase in the number of cases submitted for testing. However, there is no centralized statewide testing system in Washington, nor are there requirements for reporting of overdoses by all entities that might be involved with an overdose.

Beginning in July of this year, state legislation requires emergency departments to report overdoses to the state Department of Health (DOH) in real-time. However, as valuable as this information is, the DOH does not receive information about overdoses from emergency medical service providers (fire department EMT’s, etc.) or from local law enforcement.

The report believes that the reporting and testing of drug overdose information should be conducted in real time and should also include emergency medical service providers and law enforcement.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:
http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html).

The third goal is to reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states_30.html.

The fourth goal is to disrupt and dismantle organizations responsible for trafficking narcotics http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html

The fifth goal is to prevent further increases in overdose deaths from fentanyl

http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states_2.html

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 5

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

The fifth goal wants to prevent further increases in overdose deaths from fentanyl. Its recommendation is to adopt enhanced criminal penalties for trafficking of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which can be deadly in small doses. In the Seattle area, fentanyl has been found in what looks like prescription pills that have been purchased illicitly. In other parts of the country, fentanyl has been added to low-grade batches of heroin which is sold as more a potent drug to increase the drug pusher’s profits. When drugs are adulterated with fentanyl the buyers do not know how much fentanyl is in the drug or even if there is fentanyl at all.

A May 2017 study from the Washington State Department of Health (“Fentanyl Overdose Deaths in Washington State”) concluded that there was an increase of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Washington State between 2015 (28) and 2016 (70).

The Attorney General/Washington State Patrol/Association of Prosecuting Attorney’s report notes that some states have enhanced penalties for drug dealers who have added fentanyl to heroin or other drugs. The report recommends that trafficking fentanyl or fentanyl analogues be added to state law as an aggravating circumstance to allow sentences above the standard range.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html).

The third goal is to reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states_30.html.

The fourth goal is to disrupt and dismantle organizations responsible for trafficking narcotics http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/12/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 4

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

So far, the report’s recommendations have called on actions by medical and dental professionals, government entities such as DSHS, and the public.

The fourth goal focuses on law enforcement actions to “interdict” the illicit drug trade. The goal is to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations responsible for bringing narcotics into our state. Under this goal the report has one recommendation, restore resources for multi-jurisdictional drug-gang task forces.

The report notes that multi-jurisdictional drug task forces work to reduce illicit drugs in the community. It highlights recent results from task forces in Grant County and Grays Harbor County.

Drug-gang task forces are federally, and state funded. State funding has declined from $1.6 million in 2006 to $0 starting in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Federal funding has had its ups and downs since 2000. In 2010, Washington State task forces received $6.6 million, while between 2011 through 2017 Washington State task forces received a yearly average of just over $3 million.

Three task forces have disbanded bringing the total of task forces in Washington to 17. Other task forces have limited their operations to match reduced budgets.

Snohomish County has two multi-agency drug task forces, the Snohomish Regional Drug and Gang Task Force and the South Snohomish County Narcotics Task Force.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html).

The third goal is to reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states_30.html.

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 3

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

The third goal is to reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids. The report has four recommendations under this goal,

1.      Require providers to consult the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) before prescribing certain controlled substances.

2.      Eliminate paper prescriptions.

3.      Create a statewide medicine take-back system.

4.      Enable investigators in Washington’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to be appointed as limited authority peace officer for Medicaid fraud investigations.

Two of the major sources of non-medical use of opioids are from doctors and friends or family.

One way to feed an addiction or to sell opioids is to go “doctor shopping,” that is to visit multiple doctors or to fill prescriptions at multiple pharmacies. The state maintains a Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) database that is updated by pharmacists when they fill prescriptions for certain controlled substances. The database can be accessed by medical providers to identify patients who may be receiving too many opioids or dangerous combinations of medications. Currently, medical providers are not required to look up a patient’s record in the PMP database. The report would like a requirement that requires medical providers look up their patients in the database.

Prescriptions on paper lends themselves to forgery. From April 2015 to early August 2017, healthcare providers reported 86 incidents of fraudulent opioid prescriptions or stolen pads to the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission. Electronic prescribing of prescriptions allows for a more secure method of communication between a doctor and a pharmacy.

While Snohomish County and King County have medicine take-back programs, all counties in the state do not provide a way for citizens to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed. More than half of teens say that it is easy to get prescription drugs from medicine cabinets at home. Having an easy, well-advertised way for the public to dispose of unneeded prescriptions should help to prevent the family medicine cabinet from becoming an easy drug diversion source.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) is part of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. It investigates Medicaid fraud within the state, but must rely heavily on local law enforcement agencies to carry out key investigative tasks such as issuing search warrants and making arrests. The report points out that the vast majority of MFCU’s in other states have the authority of limited authority peace officers. The report believes that this limited authority would greatly help in Medicaid fraud investigations and in reducing diversion of opioids.

Next post, part 4; disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations responsible for bringing narcotics into out state.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states.html).

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response Part 2

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a 29-page report with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

The first goal is to increase public awareness about the dangers of opioids (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-washington-states-response.html).

The second goal is to prevent addiction by curtailing overprescribing. The report makes the following recommendations,

1.      Establish limits on the amount of initial opioid prescriptions.

2.      Require patients to acknowledge that they have been informed on the dangers of opioids upon initial prescription.

3.      Support requirements or incentives for alternative pain management treatments.

The medical and dental industries can help reduce opioid addiction with judiciously prescribing opioids and other non-opioid pain relievers. The report points out that dentists are the biggest prescribers of opioids to youth, with emergency medicine providers the second highest.

Prescribing more than a week’s supply of opioids almost doubles the chance that the patients will still be using opioids one year later.

Some states limit the amount of initial opioid prescriptions. The state of Washington is moving to establish opioid restrictions. The report points out that as patients and medical providers become educated about opioid dangers and the state establishes limits, an effort needs to be made to develop and expand other non-addicting anti-pain treatments.

Next post, part 3; reduce the illicit use of prescription opioids.

  

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

OPIOID CRISIS- Washington State’s Response

Last week Snohomish County announced a new effort to reduce illegal opioid use by partially activating the county’s Emergency Coordination Center (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2017/11/opioid-crisis-snohomish-county-tries.html). The partial activation will allow better coordination between agencies such as the Sheriff’s Office, county Department of Health, public Works and Human Services.

The state of Washington is also responding to the opioid crisis. In June of this year, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Washington State Patrol and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys convened a two-day meeting of law enforcement, prosecutorial, public health, policy and medical professionals to develop strategies to reduce the supply of illegal opioids in Washington. The result of the meeting is a 29-page report issued last week with seven recommended goals to reduce illegal opioid use.

Despite efforts in Washington State to reduce opioid abuse, overdose deaths continue to rise. The report tries to include all community resources that may be able to contribute to reducing the crisis.

The first goal is to “Address significant gaps in public awareness about the dangers of opioids, as well as less risky alternatives available.” The report recommends expanded statewide, coordinated education and outreach efforts.

One in four teens believe that there is little or no risk in using prescription pain relievers without a prescription. Also, about 4,500 12^th graders use prescription opioids in any given month and about 3.600 have tried heroin at least once.

The Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll has found that four in ten adults were not aware that

1.      Prescription opioid abuse makes a person more likely to use heroin.

2.      Prescription opioids are about equally addictive as heroin

In an attempt to improve the public’s understanding of the dangers of opioids, the Washington State department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will begin an education campaign to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and increase awareness of appropriate opioid use, storage and disposal and on how to respond to an overdose. While DSHS has limited financial resources to conduct the campaign it will use major media, a campaign website, Facebook and a toolkit for partner organizations.

Next post, part 2, Preventing addiction by curtailing overprescribing.

For the complete report, go to,

Washington State Attorney General’s Office:

http://agportal-s3bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploadedfiles/Another/News/Press_Releases/OpioidSummitReport.pdf

SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT- Offering Needle Clean-up Kits

With the opioid/heroin epidemic going on in Snohomish County and the number of homeless in the county, residents have been finding needles on the ground in some areas of the county. While most of us might judge that whoever left the needles were acting carelessly, the fact remains that the needles are on the ground and there is a concern that an accidental poke from one of them could spread disease to our families.

In some areas of Everett, community neighbors have banded together to pick up abandoned needles in their neighborhoods. Most of us, probably do not know what to do if we find a needle on the ground.

You can call for help from your local law enforcement agency. But, understand, it may take some time for a deputy or a police officer to come to the site and take care of the needle(s). If you would like to call, use one of the following non-emergency numbers:

·         SNOPAC (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, and cities in the northern part of the county)- (425) 407-3999

·         SNOCOM (Incorporated cities in the southwest part of the county)- (425) 775-3000

If you would like to pick up the needle(s) yourself, the Snohomish Health District has recently posted instructions on how to handle needles. It is also offering a free needle clean-up kit that you can pick up at Health District headquarters in Everett during normal business hours. To see those instructions, and a how-to video, go to,

Snohomish Health District:

http://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/clean-up/

SHERIFF’S OFFICE- Crime Prevention Newsletter- Fentanyl

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has published the latest issue of its crime prevention newsletter, “Partners in Crime Prevention.” This issue focuses on a new designer opioid that is causing problems in other parts of the US and in British Columbia. Local drug task forces are expecting the drug to come to the northwest. To learn more about this designer opioid, please look at the newsletter here,

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5733

HEROIN CRISIS- KOMO TV’s On Air Town Hall

If you missed the airing of KOMO TV’s town hall titled “Heroin: A community in crisis, here is the link to the video.

The opioid/heroin epidemic affects all aspects of our society and community. The professions represented at this town hall are only a portion of the professions that will need to be involved if our society will overcome this crisis. But, it does give a glimpse into some of the measures and alternatives that will be needed to solve the heroin crisis.

KOMO TV:

http://komonews.com/news/local/komo-town-hall-heroin-a-community-in-crisis

HEROIN CRISIS- KOMO Offers On Air Town Hall

KOMO TV will be airing a town hall on the heroin epidemic tomorrow, March 28, at 7pm. It will have a panel that will include:

·         Sheriff Ty Trenary

·         Senator Mark Miloscia of the 30^th Legislative District

·         Penny LeGate founder of The Marah Project

You can watch the program on television and online.

KOMO TV:

http://komonews.com/news/local/komo-news-addressing-heroin-abuse-in-town-hall

DRUGS- Do You Know What Drugs Look Like?

Can you tell if your child is using drugs? Or if your child has drug paraphernalia? The Arlington Drug Awareness Coalition is holding a presentation at Weston High School and Lakewood High Scholl with interactive displays and representatives from local agencies to educate the public about the hidden signs of drugs and the symptoms of drug abuse in the home. The presentation at both high schools will be held on Thursday, January 19, at 6;30pm to 8:30pm.

For more information about this event go to:

Arlington Drug Awareness Coalition:

https://www.facebook.com/events/837209423087039/

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=arlington%20drug%20awareness%20coalition

HEROIN EPIDEMIC- Where to Go for Help

If a family member or a friend are addicted to heroin you may want to find help for them in getting out of that addiction. There are organizations that can help. Some organizations include:

·         Catholic Community Services, http://www.ccsww.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage. Catholic Community Services provides a wide range of services including addiction recovery, mental health, services for children, youth and families, services for the homeless.

·         Cocoon House, http://www.cocoonhouse.org/. Cocoon House provides outreach to young people between 12-24 years old. It provides short and long term house for homeless young people between 12-17 years old. And it provides phone consultations, parent education and programs for parents and guardians.

·         Al Anon,  http://wa-al-anon.org/. Al-Anon/Alateen offers a recovery program for families and friends of alcoholics.

·         Changes Parent Support Network, http://cpsn.org/. The Changes Parent Support Network provides support for parents whose children are in self destructive activities such as drug abuse.

 Other resources include:

  

Snohomish Health District:

http://www.snohd.org/heroin

Snohomish County:

http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/naloxone