Multi-Agency Coordination Group

A formal multi-agency emergency response to the ongoing opioid and drug use crisis has been in place in Snohomish County since 2017. These efforts were reinvigorated in 2023. Together, partners throughout Snohomish County continue to address this ever-evolving crisis.

History

On November 8, 2017, a joint resolution was approved and signed by the Snohomish County Executive, Sheriff, County Council and Snohomish Health District Board of Health. This resolution affirmed their commitment to ending the opioid epidemic in Snohomish County through strong partnerships, coordination, and collaboration. Executive Somers also directed the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management to partially activate the Emergency Operations Center to support this effort. The multiple agencies and governments in Snohomish County involved in that effort formed an Opioid Response Multi-agency Coordination (MAC) Group.

In May 2023, Executive Somers issued a new Executive Directive that reemphasized the County’s commitment to an urgent, robust, and collaborative response to the drug crisis and established a new Disaster Policy Group. The Executive Directive set an aggressive timeline for developing and implementing strategies to address the drug use crisis:   

• Within 30 days of the receipt of the Directive, the MAC Group must submit an updated list of goals to the Disaster Policy Group for consideration and approval (Complete)
• Within 90 days of the approval of new goals, the MAC Group must develop and submit to the Disaster Policy Group immediate strategies to reduce the number of drug-related deaths and mitigate impacts to property and public safety (Complete)
• Within 180 days of the approval of new goals, the MAC Group must develop and submit to the Disaster Policy Group mid- to long-term strategies to reduce the number of individuals suffering from substance use disorder.  

MAC Group Goals

Per the terms of the 2023 Directive, the MAC Group has developed a set of goals and immediate strategies that can be implemented more urgently and with existing financial resources. 

The goals are summarized below, and you can find a more details list of goals and near-term strategies linked here.

• Reduce current and future abuse and misuse of opioids including fentanyl, and similar drugs
• Reduce negative health outcomes, including death, by expanding available resources for individuals who misuse or abuse drugs.
• Pursue expansion of resources and continuity of care for individuals and families affected by drug misuse.
• Reduce and address damage and impacts of drug misuse on communities, residents, businesses, and visitors of Snohomish County.
• Provide information about the drug use crisis to the public and our partners in a timely and coordinated manner.
• Use data to detect, evaluate, monitor, and act.
• Create a comprehensive strategy to identify a sustainable model for ongoing collaboration.

The MAC Group is now developing mid- to long-term strategies to submit to the Disaster Policy Group to reduce the number of individuals suffering from substance use disorder. These strategies will be wider in scope and will likely require additional state and federal resources. More information will be added here as it is available regarding these strategies and the MAC Group’s progress.

• Related reading: Impacts of the Opioid Epidemic in Snohomish County_(last updated June 2023)

MAC Group Opioid Projects

Below is a list of projects MAC Group Agencies are currently working on to address overdose and opioid misuse in Snohomish County. This document will be updated as needed.

Implementation Agency	Name of Funding Source	Agency Providing Funding	Project Title	Project Time Period	Brief Project Description
Department of Emergency Management	Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Sales Tax	Department of Emergency Management	Snohomish County Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Program Advisory Board	On-going	Facilitating and Coordinating Multi-agency Coordination Group efforts on Opioids aiding in better communication and planning.
Snohomish County Human Services	State Substance Abuse Block Grant Funds (SABG)	Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)	Opioid Outreach Specialist	On-going	Working with individuals experiencing OUD or an overdose. OOS will work with client to connect to treatment, MAT, C/S Housing, Narcan, or any other appropriate resource. OOS will also provide Opioid Education and Narcan Trainings to the community and/or agencies.
Snohomish County Health Department	Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Communities Overdose Response Program (RCORP)	U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy	RCORP-Implementation	September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2023	Expand access to SUD/OUD prevention, treatment and recovery services and supports in Darrington and parts of Sky Valley (link to map – https://arcg.is/DavWC)
Snohomish County Health Department	Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)	Centers of Disease Control and Prevention via the Washington State Department of Heath	OD2A (No project specific title)	September 1, 2019 – August 31, 2023	The overall goal of this grant is to increase opioid overdose prevention messaging and education, improve surveillance through data collection and dissemination, support linkages to care and evidence-based treatment options, and support harm reduction strategies.
Snohomish County Health Department	General Funds	Snohomish Health District	First Responder Narcan Program	On-going	Purchase Narcan for first responders currently partnered with us. In return, they track the use of Narcan and provide that data to us quarterly