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Snohomish County is accepting applications for new service agreements with community partners for projects or events focused on addressing the drug crisis.
Funding is available to organizations that provide services for Snohomish County residents experiencing opioid use disorder. Priority will be given to organizations that provide recovery focused services.
The County is using money received from the OneWashington Memorandum of Understanding for these agreements. Applications will be due by October 15, 2025.
More information and an online application are available here.
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A new report is now available that documents and evaluates the Snohomish County Naloxone Leave-Behind Program, funded through opioid settlement dollars.
The Snohomish County Health Department partnered with Snohomish County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies to implement the program, which aims to reduce overdose deaths by making life-saving naloxone more accessible in the community. Partner EMS agencies leave county-provided naloxone kits with people who use opioids and are at risk of future overdose, with their friends and family, or with bystanders on the scene during an overdose response or regular outreach. The agencies provide data back to the Health Department through a survey. In the inaugural year, nine agencies participated in the program and 391 naloxone kits were distributed. Naloxone kits were most frequently left with the person at risk (43%), followed by a close personal contact such as family, friends, caregivers, or roommates (33%).
According to the report, “The increasing number of participating agencies throughout the year and their positive feedback demonstrates the popularity and need for expanding this program beyond its pilot year.”
For more information, see the full report on the Snohomish Overdose Prevention website: www.snohomishoverdoseprevention.com.
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Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers has appointed Kim VanPelt as the new Health Department Director. VanPelt comes to Snohomish County from Tucson, Arizona, where she served as Deputy Director for Programming and Development at the Pima County Health Department since 2022. Her work there included oversight of community engagement, health prevention and promotion, public policy, health equity, maternal and child health, built environment, community mental health, substance misuse, injury and violence prevention, and workforce development programs in a county with more than a million residents.
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“Kim VanPelt brings a wealth of experience overseeing a diverse body of work, building community engagement, and leading the planning and evaluation of strategic goals,” Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said. “Our public health professionals work every day to keep people safe and healthy. Their efforts locally and regionally are especially important right now. I am excited for Kim to lead that team here in Snohomish County.”
Prior to her role with the Pima County Health Department, VanPelt spent six years as Chief Regional Officer for First Things First, a statewide organization in Arizona that funds early learning and health programs focused on helping young children grow and thrive. She earned a Masters degree in Public Administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller School of Public Affairs at the State University of New York at Albany, along with Bachelors degrees in Economics and History from Arizona State University.
“I am excited to join the County team and to work collaboratively with community partners to improve health for Snohomish County residents,” VanPelt said.
She’s scheduled to start Oct. 20, taking on the role about three months after former Director Dennis Worsham moved into a new job as the Washington State Secretary of Health.
VanPelt “brings incredible experience and connections, and has a long history of health equity work and increasing access to health services,” said Dr. James Lewis, Snohomish County Health Officer. “Her work partnering with communities to advance public health is exemplary and her efforts leading response to the opioid epidemic is a great match for Snohomish County. She also has the background and skills to help us navigate these challenging times for public health.”
Read more about VanPelt’s appointment in the full press release.
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A FREE training on Narcan (naloxone) is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 in person at the Everett Public Library's main branch, 2702 Hoyt Ave. No RSVP is needed. Join Amy Wheat, opioid outreach specialist with Snohomish County Human Services, for a training that covers an overview of the opioid epidemic, its impact on Snohomish County and how to administer Narcan, a naloxone nasal spray that can prevent the effects of an opioid overdose. Registration is not required, and walk-ins are welcome, but you can sign up here for a reminder email.
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