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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing the 1 year anniversary of the Solano Safety Opioid Coalition, “Drug Safe Solano,” for its collaborative work to prevent opioid overdoses and deaths in Solano County (Chairwoman Hannigan)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends the Board adopt and present a resolution recognizing the 1 year anniversary of the Solano Opioid Safety Coalition, “Drug Safe Solano,” for its collaborative work to prevent opioid overdoses and deaths in Solano County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Established in September 2018 with funding from MedMark Treatment Centers in Fairfield, the coalition was recently re-branded as “Drug Safe Solano” and is transitioning from management by the Solano Coalition for Better Health to Touro University. The coalition now includes over 50 participants representing 35 organizations from a cross section of local hospitals, health clinics, law enforcement, Courts, County agencies, first responders, community-based organizations and concerned citizens. Their mission is to save lives by increasing awareness about opioid addiction in the public and among medical providers. The participants have developed action teams to achieve the coalition’s goals: 1) reduce opioid prescription rates, 2) increase access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) outpatient treatment and resources, 3) increase availability of naloxone for emergency rescue by first responders and others in the community, and 4) promote safe disposal of prescriptions.
Education regarding opioid use is a significant component of the work of the coalition. The Solano Medical Society and Partnership Health Plan (PHP) both provided safe prescribing guidelines to the coalition. The guidelines are available online at www.drugsafesolano.org <http://www.drugsafesolano.org>.
The Solano Medical Society, in partnership with the East Bay Safe Prescribing Coalition, has organized webinars on pain management for physicians and a MAT waiver eligibility training; authority to prescribe MAT requires a training to receive an “X-waiver.” PHP reports that opioid prescriptions for PHP members decreased in the past year in the County.
Additionally, the coalition has provided educational training, including training at County libraries, about the opioid epidemic and resources for the community. Coalition members also attended multiple outreach events reaching roughly 100 individuals. The coalition’s website was developed to increase the work of the coalition and inform the community about the opioid epidemic and resources for the community.
The opioid coalition has been represented in the County’s MAT learning collaborative which is focused on improving access to MAT for inmates in the County jail. This fall, the staff that work at the County Jail will begin to prescribe MAT for individuals who enter the jail on MAT. In addition, the MAT learning collaborative will be working with Touro University students who will provide naloxone education to inmates and supply them with naloxone upon release from jail.
MedMark received a “hub and spoke” grant from the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). As the “hub,” MedMark’s goal is to partner with more community prescribers, having engaged 11 “spokes” with 38 prescribers, thereby increasing the availability of MAT services across the County.
Involved participants are working together to improve the data collection methodologies associated with opioid overdoses and deaths. It is estimated that nearly 4,000 individuals in the County have an opioid use disorder and most are not in treatment. All Sheriff deputies have been trained in administering naloxone and the Sheriff Department is working with other Police Departments so that all law enforcement in the County are capable of saving lives with Naloxone.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Costs associated with the preparation of this Board item and resolution are included in the Department’s FY 2019/20 Adopted Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could decide not to approve this resolution. This is not recommended as the opioid crisis is a national health epidemic with local impact and recognition by the Board furthers the goals of the coalition.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
35 agencies participate in the coalition, including multiple County agencies, private community health clinics, local hospitals, and substance use treatment providers and advocates.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION