Official insights from Public Health – Seattle & King County staff
When you open your cabinet in your bathroom, what do you find? If you are like me, you might find expired sunscreen, an old bottle of bright orange nail polish, and more miniature hand sanitizer than you know what to do with. Along with my harmless clutter, I find medicines that I’m no longer using, […]
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Today, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that Initiative 27 was outside the scope of local initiative power. Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health – Seattle & King County said, In 2016, the 38-member Heroin and Prescription Opiate Task Force issued recommendations that included opening and evaluating sites to prevent fatal opioid overdoses, called […]
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Yesterday, the federal government called attention to the opioid crisis by declaring a Public Health Emergency. While the specific rulemaking or funding implications are still unknown, Public Health and our partners will be closely following any actions and impacts. What we do know is that the solution to this crisis requires action from all levels […]
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The King County Medical Examiner’s Office received results from the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory late last week that what looked like a bag of oxycodone pills came back positive for fentanyl. The large amount of fake pills were found on a decedent in King County. While the cause of death of the individual is […]
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This week, the American Medical Association (AMA), the largest association of physicians in the United States, announced support for the development of pilot facilities where people who use injection drugs can do so under medical supervision. “The endorsement by the American Medical Association to establish and evaluate supervised injection facilities affirms the recommendation by our […]
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During a recent Q&A on Facebook LIVE, Dr. Jeff Duchin and Brad Finegood, co-chairs of the Heroin and Prescription Opiate Addiction Task Force, answered some questions about supervised consumption sites (also known as CHELs)—a public health service for people with substance use disorders. CHELs (Community Health Engagement Locations) are one component of a comprehensive approach that […]
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