Public Forum On Heroin And Addiction In Everett Thursday Evening

The City of Everett has another free community forum set for this Thursday at the Historic Everett Theater on Colby in downtown Everett. Here are the details…

Join Mayor Ray Stephanson and an expert panel to learn about drug addiction at a free community event on Thursday, March 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Historic Everett Theatre (2911 Colby Ave).

“Our community has been significantly impacted by the opioid epidemic,” said Stephanson. “Nearly every one of us has a friend or family member who has been affected by addiction, and these complex challenges have overwhelmed our City resources and treatment systems.

The March 23 event will feature a panel discussion among experts who can address different aspects of drug addiction, from research and public policy to treatment options and support during recovery. Panelists include:

• Penny LeGate, former news anchor and founder of The Marah Project
• Randy Humphrey, co-founder, Bella Monte Recovery Center
• Dr. Richard Ries, associate director, University of Washington Addiction Psychiatry Residency Program
• Wendy Grove, executive director, Everett Recovery Café

Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panelists during a moderated question-and-answer session.

“It’s critical for our community to have an open, informed conversation about addiction and how we can best respond,” said Stephanson.

Under the Safe Streets plan, the City has launched a number of programs to address the impacts of drug addiction in Everett, particularly the visible effects of drug use on the streets.

“The City will continue to take enforcement against those who are committing crimes and preying on others,” said Hil Kaman, the City’s public health and safety director. “At the same time, we recognize that in order to make meaningful, lasting changes in our community, we need to approach addiction as a disease, and invest our resources in innovative, effective treatment and support systems.”

The Safe Streets plan includes a number of initiatives to address addiction and related challenges:

• The Chronic Utilizers Alternative Response Team (CHART) develops solutions for the most chronic utilizers of Everett’s emergency and criminal justice systems, including many individuals with longtime substance use disorders.
• Social workers embedded with Everett Police’s Community Outreach and Enforcement Team work to connect individuals on the streets with treatment and other supports.
• Everett Police have placed 14 individuals in long-term treatment – at no cost to the City – through the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Institute (PAARI).
• Everett patrol officers carry Naloxone kits to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, and utilized the tool 21 times in 2016 alone.
• The Safe Streets Supportive Housing project will house up to 70 chronically homeless individuals, many of whom struggle extensively with addiction.

In addition, the City recently filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma for allowing OxyContin to be funneled into the black market, causing the current opioid crisis in Everett.

“Purdue must be held accountable for the damage they have caused in our community,” said Stephanson. “We’ve already invested significant taxpayer dollars to deal with impacts of opioid addiction in our city, and we know that substantial additional resources will be needed to deal with this crisis in the coming years.”

The public is encouraged to attend the event, which will be recorded for broadcast on the Everett Channel. For meeting details, visit the City’s events calendar. For more information on the Safe Streets plan, visit www.everettwa.gov/safestreets.