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Snohomish County’s Adult Recovery Court is celebrating 25 years of providing therapeutic and legal services for adults affected by substance use disorder and involved with the criminal justice system. Court staff, local leaders, and graduates plan to mark the milestone with an event on Thursday, October 3, at 3:30 p.m. in the jury assembly room on the second floor of the Snohomish County Courthouse, 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in Everett.
The celebration will feature presentations and light refreshments. Speakers include Judge Joseph Wilson, County Executive Dave Somers, County Council Member Megan Dunn, Prosecuting Attorney Jason Cummings, Executive Director of the Public Defender Association Kathleen Kyle, and Adult Recovery Court graduates D.J. Rivera and Amber Dabney. The public and media are invited. Guests should allow time to pass through courthouse security, including a metal detector.
Since its inception, more than 2,000 people have participated in Adult Recovery Court, and 981 have fully completed the program. The program has a lasting impact for graduates and for the community. Of the graduates who entered the program in 2018, 96% have not had a new felony conviction since. To be considered for entry into Adult Recovery Court, someone involved with the criminal justice system in Snohomish County must be referred by their defense attorney and complete a screening and intake process with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
To learn more about Adult Recovery Court, visit https://snohomishcountywa.gov/6106/Adult-Recovery-Court.
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Thank you to everyone who participated Aug. 29 in the eighth annual A Night To Remember, A Time To Act event on the County campus in Everett. More than 100 people came together for a resource fair featuring over two dozen booths, followed by an evening that included time to remember those lost to overdose, to share stories of recovery, to learn about treatment and services, and to focus on hope. If you missed the resource fair but want to learn more, you can find an online list of participating resources here, all in one place: https://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/find-treatment-or-support/overdose-awareness-day-resources-2024/
 Click above to access a Facebook photo gallery of images.
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September is Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Month in Snohomish County. Executive Dave Somers marked its arrival with a proclamation and encouragement to County employees to join him in recognizing that recovery works, that people can and do recover, and that everyone plays a role in recovery.
One way anyone can help is by learning about opioids and how to use naloxone (Narcan) to reverse an opioid overdose.
Click on the proclamation image to read it online.
Earlier this year, the County began offering optional staff trainings on opioids and Narcan. Nearly 500 staff have been trained so far, and there’s more interest in the trainings.
Individuals or organizations can request naloxone training by completing the form at this link: https://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/forms
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Snohomish County voters are being asked on the November 5, 2024, ballot to consider a public safety sales tax. The measure was proposed by County Executive Dave Somers, and the County Council voted unanimously on July 10 to put the measure the ballot.
The two-tenths of one percent (.002) levy – about 2 cents for every $10 spent on retail sales – would go toward new and expanded public safety programs in Snohomish County that would focus on reducing violent crime and the impacts of the drug epidemic. The money would be split between the County and cities, with 60% going to the County and the remaining 40% divided among the cities. The County's portion would be directed to a mix of new and expanded efforts that balance enhancing criminal justice and addressing critical behavioral health needs.
To learn more about the measure, please check out the FAQ and additional resources at https://bit.ly/SnoPSST. Don't see the answer to your question in the online FAQ? Contact publicsafetyst@snoco.org for additional information.
 Click image for more information.
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A recent analysis of health data details the prevalence of opioid use among pregnant and postpartum people in Snohomish County. Pregnancy can provide motivation and opportunity for intervention and treatment of opioid use disorder alongside prenatal care. However, systemic barriers exist for this population when seeking care, the team reviewing the data found. In Snohomish County, an estimated quarterly average of 38 babies are born with neonatal withdrawal symptoms, which can cause distress and danger to the newborn. So far in 2024, quarterly averages have been lower compared to recent years. With adequate resources, pregnancy and the postpartum period can be a time of change and a meaningful opportunity for someone with opioid use disorder to engage in care.
Find the full data brief an others on the Snohomish County Opioid Overdose and Prevention Data Dashboard.
 Click image to view the full data brief.
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An expanded behavioral health clinic in downtown Everett opened in early September to serve more unhoused, low-income and minority residents in need of substance use disorder therapy and other services, The Daily Herald of Everett reported.
The clinic was closed for more than a year for renovation. The lower floor of the Helping Hands Project Organization clinic on 26th Street is now serving clients in space that includes a new waiting area, crisis deescalation room and nursing office, according to Herald reporter Sydney Jackson.
The report quoted Vivian Obah, CEO of Helping Hands: “This clinic has been a true labor of love for our team. We are deeply proud of each person involved in the opening of this crucial resource for underserved communities in the Snohomish County area.”
A state grant provided more than $700,000 for the expansion, Obah said.
Helping Hands offers psychotherapy, substance use disorder therapy, nursing and other health services. An internal medicine physician visits the clinic twice a week.
 Herald post on X.
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Public health data reportedly is showing “a sudden and hopeful drop in drug overdose deaths across the U.S.,” according to National Public Radio.
The September 18, 2024 broadcast quotes Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA), the federal laboratory charged with studying addiction.
"This is exciting. This looks real. This looks very, very real,” Volkow said.
According to NPR: “National surveys compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already show an unprecedented decline in drug deaths of roughly 10.6 percent. That's a huge reversal from recent years when fatal overdoses regularly increased by double-digit percentages.”
Why the sudden decline? Most experts say it's a mystery, NPR reported.
“While many people offered theories about why the drop in deaths is happening at unprecedented speed, most experts agreed that the data doesn't yet provide clear answers.”
The story reports that overdose deaths are down in King County. Snohomish County has seen promising reductions in drug deaths this year, but overdose rates still remain alarmingly high.
Read the full NPR story or listen to the 4-minute Morning Edition report.
 Post on X from NPR reporter Brian Mann.
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The annual Building Community Resilience Conference is scheduled Oct. 24 in Everett.
The Snohomish County Building Community Resilience Conference is a space to gather community members, leaders, educators, social and human service professionals, and behavioral health and medical professionals to learn, connect, and contribute to a culture of resilience through keynote speakers, workshops, and resource tables.
The conference is focused this year on building hope and resilience amidst the opioid epidemic. Tickets are $75 and continuing education units are available.
More on the conference Eventbrite page.
 Click on the image for more information.
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This newsletter is the work of the communications committee within the Snohomish County Opioid Response Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group. The MAC Group has been sharing similar content among members using email. There are now sufficient people working on the issue in multiple ways that we are opting to migrate to a newsletter that will be available to anyone. Feel free to share.
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