What is buprenorphine? A Q&A about King County’s new bup hotline

March 25, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

An illustration of a phone with a provider inside, holding out a prescription.

Thanks to a new 24/7 ‘bup’ prescribing hotline, it’s easier than ever for people in King County to get started on medication to treat opioid use disorder. In partnership with the UW Department of Emergency Medicine, King County recently launched a telemedicine program that will provide on-demand access to a buprenorphine prescription, also known as “bup”.

Should Narcan be in the family medicine cabinet?

January 19, 2024.Reading time 7 minutes.

Brad Finegood, our Strategic Advisor for Behavioral Health, sat down with Seattle’s Child Magazine to answer parents’ questions about Narcan, the medication that rapidly reduces opioid overdose. His interview is excerpted with permission.

Support Makes a Difference: Recovery is Possible

December 28, 2023.Reading time 10 minutes.

The image shows two individuals sitting on a couch. One person is comforting the other. They are indoors, with a window featuring horizontal blinds in the background.

For those with substance use disorder, it’s important to remember that recovery is possible, and support can make all the difference in the life of a loved one suffering from addiction. Recovery is a journey and often not linear, so support and non-judgmental connections are essential no matter where someone is in their journey.

Providing support and care for people with substance use disorder: Treatment access in King County

June 7, 2023.Reading time 11 minutes.

Photo of two people sitting facing each other and holding hands. Their faces are not shown.

In 2021, there were over 106,600 deaths due to drug overdose in the U.S.—the highest on record. This reality is felt across the country, including here in King County, where we’ve seen a rise in substance use and overdose deaths. In the face of these tragic impacts, it is important to know where to get help and how to support someone in your community.

Vending machines dispense critical tools for preventing overdose

April 13, 2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

vending machine stacked with fentanyl test strips, intramuscular naloxone kits, narcan nasal spray, and latex (and non-latex) condoms and lube

In April 2022, Public Health worked with a local community organization, Peer Washington that operates Peer Seattle and Peer Kent to place vending machines at their sites to provide access to free, confidential overdose prevention supplies and resources.

International Overdose Awareness Day: Taking Action to Save Lives

August 30, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. Every year, this serves as a time to remember our fellow community members who have died of or survived an overdose and raise awareness of ways to prevent future overdoses. This year, King County is working with community partners to expand the use of naloxone (also known as Narcan) – a powerful and very safe tool that can save the life of someone experiencing an opioid overdose – and educate the community about available treatments for opioid use disorder.