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Washington Recovery Helpline data suggest alcohol and opioids are the biggest concerns for callers from Snohomish County. Further, the numbers of people phoning largely mirror population distribution between urban and rural areas.
Most calls come from urban areas, while rural and suburban residents are a smaller proportion of callers than they are of the county population.
“Targeted outreach and advocacy in suburban and rural areas could help increase awareness and use of the helpline, provide more insight into substance use in those areas, and strengthen connections to appropriate resources,” according to the data brief.
People can call or text 866-789-1511 to access the Washington Recovery Helpline.
Full details below.
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Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown on May 1 announced that a $7.4 billion multistate settlement reached with Purdue Pharma and its owners has become legally effective. The settlement is expected to deliver more than $105 million total split between that state and 125 cities and counties, mostly over the next three years, according to the news release.
Snohomish County receives opioid settlement funds under the One Washington Memorandum of Understanding. The timelines and amounts of settlements vary. Many are spread over a number of years, so they typically do not come in large lump sums. County officials have intentionally and strategically looked at the settlement funds as a long-term investment to be less dependent on the fluctuations of individual payments. Snohomish County is scheduled to receive about $30.5 million between 2022 and 2038, and a little over $12.2 million has been received as of 2026. That does not include the latest settlement announcement, for which details were not immediately available on amounts and timing for the county’s portion.
The county has a coordinated opioid crisis response effort to direct this funding. The team has been working cross-departmentally on a six-year opioid response plan for 2027-2032. That work, led by the Snohomish County Health Department, has involved many partners through community convenings and key informant interviews. Among the partners who are helping inform the plan are treatment and recovery service providers, schools, first responders, health care providers, cities, courts, law enforcement, and representatives from wraparound services such as workforce development.
Opioid settlement dollars at work
Even as we plan for the next six years, opioid settlement dollars are in use right now in Snohomish County. One example: In 2025, a mobile opioid treatment clinic began service. Between September 2025 and April of this year, the unit has served nearly 50 clients in the Gold Bar area, maintaining services even during challenges such as the record flooding in December. The client census as of April 2026 is 30, and services offered include access to medications for opioid use disorder, counseling, and care coordination. The mobile unit increases access to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder in East Snohomish County, where there isn’t a local brick-and-mortar location. Lack of transportation to treatment also has been a known barrier to recovery.
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The Snohomish County Recovery Coalition and the Everett AquaSox are hosting Spring Into Recovery 3 on June 5. As in past years, the event will feature a recovery resource fair earlier in the day, offering direct access to services, food, and fun. The event will be capped by an evening of baseball as the AquaSox face the Eugene Emeralds.
More details, including tickets and opportunities to donate, can be found here.
 Click image for more information in English and Spanish.
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Snohomish County Human Services invites the community to attend the Youth Suicide Prevention Taskforce’s “You Are Not Alone” event on May 16 at Stanwood High School. The event focuses on building resilience and equipping youth and families with tools to support mental health and prevent suicide.
Event Highlights Include:
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Youth-Led Programming: Youth MC, youth speaker, and a youth panel moderated by a mental health professional
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Guest Speakers & Performances: Adult and youth speakers, plus live performances by local bands
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Interactive Activities: Graffiti wall, “What I Wish You Knew” art installation, and bracelet exchanges symbolizing connection
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Resources & Engagement: Youth mental health resource tables, programming opportunities, and a community feedback survey with raffle prizes
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Community Experience: Art, music, and free food and refreshments
Language interpretation will be available upon request.
Event Details:
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When: Saturday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00p.m.
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Where: Stanwood High School, 7400 272nd ST NW, Stanwood WA 98292
Learn more.
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Unused prescription drugs can end up in the wrong hands and create dangerous situations in our community. That is why the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is proud to share that its Drug Take Back event at Sultan Police Department on April 25 was a big success, with 75 pounds of medications collected and shipped to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This nationwide effort gives people a safe, anonymous way to dispose of unused or expired medications and help prevent misuse. Learn more: DEATakeBack.com
Meanwhile, Stilly Valley Health Connections and partners staged their first-ever Drug and Vape Take Back and Mini Resource Fair in Smokey Point on April 25. The effort collected 55.54 pounds of prescription medications and other substances, along with approximately seven pounds of nicotine vapes, according to Alicia Elias, Coalition and Program Coordinator. In addition, nearly 30 cars went through the drop-off area, and 44 community members took time to explore the mini resource fair.
“Even more meaningful was the positive feedback I overheard from community members!” Elias wrote in an email to partners. “They appreciated the opportunity to safely dispose of items and access the valuable information and resources from your organization.”
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People working to encourage recovery and hope among Snohomish County residents were among the dozen people recognized April 7 for the Emerging Leaders Snohomish County 2026 award
Close to half of the 12 people nominated as finalists work directly to address substance use disorder, homelessness, food insecurity and more.
The Emerging Leaders award is now in its 11th year and sponsored by The Herald Business Journal and CommonUnity. It celebrates people under 40 doing good work here across a gamut of government, nonprofit and business sectors.
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The top honor this year went to Yuliana Flores-Montes, business office manager for patient accounts and customer service at Optum. Kyle Roscoe, executive director of the Everett Recovery Café, was among the runners up.
Some of the other finalists included Sabrina Donovan, Foundational Community Support Housing case manager at Sound Pathways; Rachel Downes, Chief Strategic Officer at Housing Hope; Megan Kemmett, Executive Director at the Snohomish Community Food Bank; and Kari Bray, communications director for the Snohomish County Executive Office and a member of the Snohomish County Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group working on the drug crisis.
 Click image to read more on Facebook.
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Learn how to save a life through this FREE training, starting at 6 p.m. May 14, 2026 in Everett. Join Amy Wheat, opioid outreach specialist with Snohomish County Human Services, for training on how to administer Narcan (naloxone) to block the effects of an opioid overdose.
 Click image for more details.
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Snohomish County joins in celebrating National Therapeutic Court Month in May.
The Snohomish County Council posted on Facebook about the observance.
“We urge all who live and work in Snohomish County to take part in programs, events, and activities to celebrate and learn more about our recovery and Therapeutic Court community,” the post said.
 Click image to read more on Facebook.
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