City of
Regina O'Connell <[email protected]>
Placerville
Please table SHRC letter
Leo Bennett-cauchon <[email protected]> Tue, Jun 27, 2023 at 12:21 PM To: Michael Saragosa <[email protected]>
Cc: Cleve Morris <[email protected]>, Regina O'Connell <[email protected]> Dear Major Saragosa and PCC
I am writing to urge you to postpone item 12.4: "Considering sending a letter to the CDPH ...". | think more information is needed for a prudent decision that avoids adversely affecting community members with substance use disorders.
Tragically increasing numbers of drug overdose deaths as shared in the Sheriff's presentation attached to this item are heavily impacting these neighbors. I think that your decision tonight is literally about life or death for some of our neighbors.
My thinking is based on experiences from decades of work with the unhoused - many struggling with addictions - most of whom prematurely died. Fortunately 48% of the Sierra Harm Reduction's 2021 recipients are housed which improves their chances of recovery when ready.
The SHRC 10/11/22 presentation to the BOS shared that harm reduction services resulted in 309 client reported overdose reversals. To me that is a priceless benefit.
I am in support of continuing the CDPH licensing of the Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition. It is my understanding from both research reviews and my personal experiences that their services are needed supports for public health and safety in EDC.
The Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition services are evidence based, compassionate, and save lives.
The director of Sierra Harm Reduction exemplified the compassion so important to this work during his 10/11/22 BOS presentation. His compassion continued during combative grilling by some supervisors and extremely insulting questioning by a member of the public (video at meeting link in notes).
In addition to all the positive aspects that created a state option for harm reduction programs your draft letter unfortunately contains many errors about our successful local harm reduction program:
"Based on local data and evidence provided, we do not believe that local conditions exist that show the rapid spread of HIV, viral hepatitis or other blood-borne diseases. " Our county public health officer shared during the 10/11/22 public report by SHRC to the BOS that both Hepatitis C and Congenital Syphilis rates are of concern in EDC. She stated that the county's relatively low population requires that we use practices based on nationally derived evidence rather than local data.
"I cannot stress how difficult it has been to bring leadership, law enforcement and the community together on a shared path and plan, and still El Dorado County's response to homelessness is fragile." EDC response is on track. EDC is building a permanent Navigation Center: "Piece 4 - Staff will prepare architectural and design drawings, as well as cost estimates to construct a permanent Navigation Center at 300 Fair Lane,... and will return to the Board for approval with the goal of having the facility constructed no later than December 2024. "We are in agreement with El Dorado County that harm reduction services and needle exchange programs in El Dorado County are working to sabotage and undermine our efforts. Local statistics show an increase in crime and drug related offenses directly related to syringe exchange programs and services, and several cases from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office as documented below:
1. Heroin sales
2. Heroin possession
3. Heroin case
4. Fentanyl death
5. Fentanyl death
6. Tahoe Harm Reduction CEO arrest"
Anecdotal, not statistical, evidence is provided. #1-5 conflate the correlation of the presence of harm reduction supplies with the actual causes of the crime. #6 is not in Sierra Harm Reduction's service area nor on CDPH's list of licensed service providers.
"While we understand the intent of the syringe exchange program, our community is vehemently opposed to activities which enable illicit drug use, as evidenced by data from the El Dorado County Sheriff's office. This goes against everything we are trying to address at a local level."
I have spoken with many Placerville residents supportive of keeping evidence based treatment for our community members challenged by substance use disorder. They identified good reasons to continue with needle exchange/harm reduction services:
Lower numbers of contaminated needles in a community.
Reduced drug-related behavior.
Reduced sexual-risk behavior.
Increased access to drug treatment referral services.
Increased access to testing and diagnostic services.
Increased access to education about substance abuse.
Increased communication with hard-to-reach populations.
Reduced prevalence of new infections.
As an engaged EDC citizen I think that our BOS is at times unfortunately lacking in the political will to stand up to the increasing partisanship which infects public health and safety debates. Improving state wide health and safety outcomes is my reading of the reason for adding the state as an authorizing of evidence based syringe exchange programs under the CA Health and Safety Code Section 121349.
I urge the PCC to continue its role in ensuring that all residents in our state, in our local county, and in our County Seat remain enabled to maintain their human rights including our most basic right: the right to life! Thank you,
Leo Bennett-Cauchon
916 307-8525
NOTES:
CDC
Nearly thirty years of research shows that comprehensive SSPs are safe, effective, and cost-saving, do not increase illegal drug use or crime, and play an important role in reducing the transmission of viral hepatitis, HIV and other infections.
10/11/22 Meeting Video Link
4:45:00: Presentation
5:00:00: Board Questions
5:45:00: Public Comments
https://eldorado.granicus.com/player/clip/1726?view id=2&redirect=true&h= 32afdf3bf74dae08f10f14d741385131
From 10/11/22 Minutes:
tem 25 Public Comment: C. Cockrell, K. Greenwood, A. Nevis, J. Gainsbourgh, M. Rodriguez, C. Hearn The Board received and filed the following:
1) A presentation and report as a requirement of and in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 121349.3, detailing the status of the Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition's (SHRC) syringe exchange program authorized by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH); and 2) A follow-up presentation from the Executive Director of SHRC to provide information about how SHRC operates with the purpose of reducing the incidence of blood-borne pathogens and other harms associated with drug use in the County.
A motion was made by Supervisor Parlin, seconded by Supervisor Novasel to direct staff to:
1) Provide each Board member with the contact information for the Office of AIDS and the California Department of Public Health; and
2) Contact the Office of AIDS to coordinate a discussion with the Board in a local format. https://eldorado.legistar.com/iew.ashx?M=M&ID=992216&GUID=AE781BEC-D57C-4B9F-B3A8- E5D46E8026BB
CA Licensed Syringe Exchange Providers
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DOA/pages/oa_prev sepdirectory.aspx CPHC Section 121349
Analysis: AB 604 (2011)
The author contends that federal funding is now available to California to support SEPs and to prevent costly and deadly infections, but the lack of Syringe Exchange Programs in some of these areas means that taxpayers statewide get stuck with paying the bill.
Supporters:
Drug Policy Alliance (sponsor)
AIDS Project Los Angeles
American Civil Liberties Union
American Nurses Association California
California Association of Alcohol and Drug
Program Executives, Inc.
California Hepatitis Alliance
California Nurses Association
California Opioid Maintenance Providers
California Society of Addiction Medicine
California State Board of Pharmacy
California Syringe Exchange Provider Network
Center for Health Justice
Clinica Monsenor Oscar A. Romero
Common Ground: The Westside HIV Community Center
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab0601-0650/ab 604 cfa 20110621 174801 sen comm.html
10/11/22 meeting presentation:
Metrics:
NARCAN distributed: 1335 (total > 2000)
Client reported overdose reversals: 309 (total 503)
• Fentanyl tests distributed: 2328 (total 3090)
• Client reported positive test for fentanyl: 915 (total 1194) • Positive testing rate rapidly
https://eldorado.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11297344&GUID=560D271F-4DEE-4775-B214- AC270673E1A4
6/27/23, 4:29 PM City of Placerville Mail - Four Questions: harm reduction services City of
Placerville Cleve Morris <[email protected]> Four Questions: harm reduction services
1 message
Leo Bennett-cauchon <[email protected]> Tue, Jun 27, 2023 at 4:19 PM To: Michael Saragosa <[email protected]>, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Cc: Cleve Morris <[email protected]>
Dear PCC:
I am unable to attend tonight's meeting. My wife would like to enjoy South Lake Tahoe longer © We met one of my sisters who is on a drive to Olympia, WA *
I hope that when I review the video of tonight's meeting that I will hear answers to the following:
Is ending the full suite of evidence based substance use disorder services good for all of us? Can EDC improve its response to blood- borne diseases through harm reduction services? Is there verified evidence that EDC is an exception to the consensus that harm reduction services save the lives of our neighbors with substance use disorders?
Does Placerville remain supportive of the harm reduction programs funded by its 2020 choice for President? Thanks for your consideration and ongoing service,
Leo
Item 12.1 Trip to Green
Comments from Sue Rodman, Placerville resident
After reading the study for US 50 "Trip to Green" analysis, I find this analysis lacking comprehensive conclusions.
While demonstrating the traffic backup without Trip to Green, it fails to analyze the congestion on other routes through Placerville that also experience gridlock during these same times that US 50 gridlocks. Thus, it underestimates the benefit from trip to green implementation.
Using speed drop and increased time to travel on US 50 only, it underestimates the total effects of the gridlock on US 50. There is no analysis of the total effects, the related effects of US 50 gridlock. It fails to show that the reason local traffic is less on these weekends is that locals know the problems, and actively avoid weekend travel both on US 50 and the clogged side streets in Placerville. It also fails to fully account for the effects of US 50 backup on emergency vehicle needs.