Drafter
Clerk 10/17/2017
Title
AN ORDINANCE related to community health engagement locations; rejecting Initiative 27 and adopting a substitute ordinance related to adopting the Heroin and Prescription Opiate Addiction Task Force recommendation to establish a community health engagement locations pilot project with both measures to be submitted to the voters at a special election, contingent upon Initiative 27 being upheld by the courts and placed on the ballot at a future election; and adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.35A.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. In King County, heroin and opioid use continues to increase, resulting in a growing number of fatalities due to overdoses. In 2013, heroin overtook prescription opioids as the primary cause of opioid overdose deaths. By 2016, according to medical examiner records, opioid-involved deaths in King County totaled two hundred-nineteen, where there was an overdose death in the county almost every thirty-six hours. Increases in opioid deaths from 2013 to 2016 were seen throughout the county.
2. In addition to the overdose risk, the use of heroin and other substances results in public disorder where individuals inject in public, or in other public facilities such as public restrooms. Improper public disposal of syringes and needles also poses public health and safety risks to the community at large, including to children and other persons using parks and other public facilities.
3. Recognizing the extent of the opioid public health crisis, in March 2016, the King County executive and the mayors of the city of Seattle and other suburban cities convened the Heroin and Prescription Opiate Addiction Task Force. The task force was charged with developing both short and long-term strategies to prevent opioid use disorder, prevent overdoses, and improve access to treatment and other supportive services for individuals experiencing opioid use disorder. The task force had representatives from forty different agenc...

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