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New data suggest that opioid overdoses in Snohomish County are skewing somewhat older, showing up more frequently among people aged 35 to 44. The data brief below breaks it down by the numbers.
 Click image above to view data brief as a full-size .pdf.
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Pioneer Human Services recently shared this story about recovery and hope:
Leroy (pictured) spent nearly three decades as a professional bull rider, traveling the rodeo circuit from the age of 13 until he was 41. Alongside that life, however, ran a long history of substance use and assault-related charges. By the time staff at the Carnegie Resource Center and the Snohomish County Diversion Center (SCDC) in Everett first met Leroy, he had been jailed 47 times in a three-year period for drug-related offenses and assault and battery.
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Leroy’s story is a powerful reminder that compassion paired with accountability can transform lives. He now is clean and sober, and he works in clean and sober housing helping others in recovery.
“I’m an addict – a former addict,” Leroy said in the article. “But there are good professionals out there who want to help — not judge. I have met many amazing professionals through Pioneer’s SCDC and the Carnegie Resource Center; and through SCOUT, and the clean and sober housing organization where I manage a house. Now, I’m in an amazing position to help others by sharing what I’ve learned.”
Read the full story from Pioneer Human Services.
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The Daily Herald recently published a story about Marysville mom Stephanie Boyle’s recovery journey and her new role helping others. The newspaper had featured Stephanie a few years ago, and Health Department staff in coordination with community partners asked if the Herald would like to revisit Stephanie’s story for an important update: She’ll be working to help families at the same rehab center where she pursued recovery.
It’s a full-circle moment, she told the Hearld in a text. She’ll be working as a residential specialist starting in early February. She’ll work with the residents and help with their child care, as the specialists did for her more than three years ago.
She has been sober since 2022, and her story emphasizes the importance of family, accountability, and a network of support for those recovering. Instead of celebrating the New Year on January 1, Stephanie marks her years a little differently, she told the Herald.
“The marker for me is more in March because that’s when I got out of treatment and I feel like that’s when life really had to start again,” Boyle said. “March is kind of like the new year for me.”
Read the full story in the Daily Herald.
 Click image to read full story.
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Judge Joe Wilson retired from presiding over Snohomish County Therapeutic Courts with a celebration on Jan. 8. Friends, family and colleagues gathered to honor his years of dedication to helping people in our community who have struggled with addiction. His compassionate but firm, no-nonsense approach helped many move beyond their addiction, even after drug-related involvement with the justice system.
Therapeutic court provides an alternative to incarceration. It is a rigorous program during which participants must self-reflect, build skills, attend regular check-ins, and avoid any substance use, with regular testing to make sure they are doing so. It’s a difficult program to complete, and it changes lives. Judge Wilson helped usher many in our community through Recovery Court. In a Facebook post, Holman Recovery Center called Judge Wilson’s impact “immeasurable” and reflected that, “His commitment to seeing the person behind the case, and his unwavering belief in the possibility of recovery, has transformed lives and families.”
Thank you, Judge Wilson, and congratulations.
 Judge Joe Wilson (left) listens as Judge Karen Moore (right) speaks during his Therapeutic Courts celebration.
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Did you know that, for the last couple of years, Snohomish County has provided overdose prevention and Narcan trainings to any county employee who wants to participate?
In 2025, about 200 employees were trained by opioid outreach specialist Amy Wheat during multiple in-person classes, and the county continues to offer training opportunities. Space is limited in the training room, and spots fill quickly when the sign-up link goes out, showing an ongoing demand and interest by county employees in learning this important information.
Is your organization interested in a training? Find request forms here: https://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/forms/
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The Snohomish County Recovery Coalition is accepting applications for flexible grants that support recovery. The coalition’s primary goal is to remove barriers and create access to resources. The flex funds will provide up to $1,250 per award ($5,000 total available) for community-based organizations with a demonstrated recovery orientation serving income-restricted individuals or families in Snohomish County. The funds must be for direct client assistance to address barriers to recovery, such as transportation, meeting basic needs (food, utilities), documentation fees, or other short-term support.
The deadline for applying is Feb. 28, 2026. Learn more on the Recovery Coalition website or email donations@snocorecovers.org.
 Click image to learn more.
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The Snohomish County Recovery Coalition is excited to host its first ever Roommates in Recovery Meet and Mingle. The event is a chance for people living in recovery to meet others who are ready to transition to permanent housing. There is no cost to attend, food is provided, and a raffle giveaway includes prizes like $850 toward one month’s rent at a recovery residence.
The event will be on Feb.15 at 4 p.m. at the Everett Recovery Café, 1212 California St.in Everett.
Learn more or register for the event at www.snocorecovers.org/meet_mingle
 Click image to learn more.
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First responders from Sky Valley Fire and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office teamed up in early January to save a half-dozen 10-week-old puppies believed exposed to what has been described in social media as a “environmental toxin.”
On Jan. 11, 2026, three of the puppies were brought to Sky Valley Fire’s Station 54.
“Firefighters found all three puppies were in critical condition with respiratory and full arrest. Firefighters knew that three puppies suffering from same symptoms, the cause had to be environmental poisoning of some kind. Crews performed lifesaving procedures, including CPR, Oxygen therapy, and administered naloxone (also known as Narcan),” the fire district reported on Facebook.
The puppies responded to the treatment.
Firefighters called deputies. They investigated.
“Our East County deputies later located three additional puppies who were also exposed and brought them to Station 54, where they received care as well,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post, that also featured a video of the puppies.
All the dogs were taken to an urgent care veterinary clinic and were reported to be recovering.
 Click image above to view video of the puppies.
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