Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Harm Reduction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Harm reduction program reports drop in overdose deaths and thousands reached since 2023 start
Summary
Dan Lawson told the committee the county's harm reduction initiative has connected about 1,000 people to recovery services, distributed hundreds of kits, partnered with Meals on Wheels and reported a decline in accidental overdose fatalities from 253 in 2023 to 151 in 2024 (17 pending).
Dan Lawson presented metrics the county attributes to its harm reduction program, saying the initiative has enrolled more than 1,200 participants since November 2023 and connected roughly 1,000 to peer and recovery services.
"We're we're trending in that right direction," Lawson said while summarizing coroner and program data that showed accidental overdose fatalities falling from 253 in 2023 to 151 in 2024, with 17 additional pending.
Lawson described program activities including leave‑behind overdose kits after Narcan administrations, partnerships with Meals on Wheels (kits for delivery volunteers), school and community education events, and plans to expand outreach for veterans and middle‑school programs. He gave specific counts: about 552 safety kits distributed and more than 4,500 individuals trained in overdose response and Good Samaritan law messaging.
Lawson said the county is awaiting final coroner numbers for 2024 but emphasized the decline as a major program milestone.
