Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF)
ITEM TITLE:
Motion 23-221, approving an Opioid Abatement and Spending Plan
DEPARTMENT: Executive's Office
ORIGINATOR: Jason Biermann
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approved by Ken Klein 5/18/23
PURPOSE: To authorize the Executive to execute on behalf of Snohomish County the opioid abatement and spending plan, and to take such further actions on behalf of Snohomish County as are necessary to carry out the implementation of the plan.
BACKGROUND: On September 7, 2022, the Snohomish County Council approved Motion 22-0378 agreeing to the allocation for opioid settlement funds established by the One Washington Memorandum of Understanding Between Washington Municipalities. On November 9, 2022, the Snohomish County Council approved Amended Ordinance No. 22-059, which appropriated $1.4 million in 2023 with a budget condition that stated release of these funds is conditioned on the receipt of an Opioid Abatement and Spending Plan, developed by the Executive's Office. Subsequently, Executive's Office staff conducted multiple meetings with leaders and staff from jurisdictions throughout Snohomish County, executive departments, and separately elected officials' offices to develop a proposed opioid abatement and spending plan.
A phased spending plan (attached) represents the outcome of those meetings. Phase I of that plan not only supports some programs already in place, but it also adds resources (epidemiological and contractual) that will provide additional data and analytical capacity that will help us more quickly identify dangerous trends in the opioid crisis such as the emergence of fentanyl and xylazine. Phase I will also provide funding to our community-based and jurisdictional partners and support work done to reduce the impacts on our community.
The Phase II projects require some additional investigation before implementation, which will be led by subject matter experts from the Health Department and Human Services Department....
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