Abby Jernberg
What if the government used the natural disaster coordinated system to mitigate the opioid epidemic? In Snohomish County in Western Washington, officials are taking a unique approach to the opioid crisis by declaring it a life-threatening emergency, as if it were a natural disaster. More…
Read MoreIt’s called Finding Fixes, a new podcast from InvestigateWest, and it explores solutions for people and communities struggling with opioid addiction. More…
Read MoreSeattle radio producer Anna Boiko-Weyrauch was tired of reading stories about the opioid crisis that discussed suffering more than solutions, and so she decided to do something about it. “There ARE solutions!” Boiko-Weyrauch, the host of Finding Fixes—a podcast from InvestigateWest that focuses on the opioid crisis in Snohomish County—told me in an email. “And communities…
Read MoreAgainst a backdrop of dozens of faces, two Everett mothers spoke of the grievous reason their paths crossed. “We had lost our beloved boys to drugs,” said Cathi Lee, who stood side by side with Debbie Warfield during a solemn gathering Thursday night at the Snohomish County Courthouse Plaza. Behind them were photographs of people…
Read MoreThe Snohomish Health District—in partnership with the Snohomish County Opioid Response Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group—completed a second 7-day point-in-time data collection for opioid overdoses from July 9-15, 2018. The result: 57 overdoses in one week, 2 of which were fatal. More…
Read MoreIn 2017, Snohomish County formed its Opioid Response Multi-Agency Coordination — or MAC group. It’s a coordinated effort across multiple jurisdictions, government agencies, and service providers to address the opioid crisis. As part of the county’s unified effort, it recently conducted the second annual Opioid Point In Time Count – similar to the annual One…
Read MoreFor children growing up in the shadow of the opioid crisis, public schools have become the safety net of last resort. More…
Read MoreIt’s been a part of Everett’s street culture since 1988, the early years of efforts to address the AIDS epidemic and the “bleach and teach” outreach to those using injectable drugs to stop sharing needles and to sterilize the syringes in order to reduce transmission of HIV and other diseases. That legacy remains in its…
Read MoreEVERETT, Wash. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell met with officials in northwest Washington state to discuss the impact of the opioid crisis on the area and how the federal government might be more effective in dealing with the matter. The Daily Herald reports the Democratic senator outlined legislation she’s working on to the Snohomish…
Read MoreSince rolling out the free needle clean-up kit program in September 2017, over 800 kits have been distributed by the Snohomish Health District. These kits have ensured the safe and proper disposal of more than 10,000 syringes. Starting April 25 — and as a result of Opioid Response Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group efforts — the…
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