The value of medications for opioid use disorder

March 4, 2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Written by Troy Seibert, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Overdose Prevention and Response As we confront an alarming rise in overdose deaths, King County is working to expand access to a proven, life-saving intervention. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), specifically buprenorphine, lowers risk of death by about 50%. These medications, along with, […]

Thirty-four King County residents died from fentanyl Drug overdose in July: How our community can take action

August 17, 2021.Reading time 10 minutes.

Dark purple background with large gray ribbon. Graphic symbolizes overdose awareness.

Fentanyl has hit our community and is taking the lives of so many loved ones. We have already exceeded last year’s numbers for fentanyl deaths. Overdose is preventable and there are actions we can all take.

How a new federal rule change may make access to treatment for opioid use disorder easier

May 17, 2021.Reading time 9 minutes.

On April 27, the Department of Health and Human Services announced new regulatory changes for prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD). We sat down with Brad Finegood, Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Strategic Advisor on Behavioral Health, to learn more about the new rule change and how it may impact treatment access in our community.

Alert: Spike in fatal overdoses in our community

January 14, 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

Public Health – Seattle & King County is alerting our community about a sharp rise in fatal overdoses over the past two weeks. In the period from Dec. 27, 2020 to Jan. 9, 2021, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified 42 suspected or confirmed overdose deaths.

Fentanyl found in black tar substances could lead to increases in fatal overdose

June 11, 2020.Reading time 4 minutes.

Recent instances of the combination of fentanyl with black tar heroin raises concern of the risk of fatal overdose.

Public Health calls for community safety as fentanyl-involved deaths rise

April 23, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Public Health – Seattle & King County reminds our community that pills purchased off the street or online without a prescription likely contains illicit fentanyl—the drug that can lead to overdose and death. In just the past two weeks, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified 14 people whose lives were lost to drug overdose involving fentanyl.