The members of the Shore Pool Board did not reply to yesterday's email asking what safety protocols have been put in place not that free shower vouchers are being distributed to transient addicts. Here is today's email sent to the county commissioners:
Dear Commissioners,
Over the years, county officials have stated that most individuals experiencing homelessness in Clallam County are from here, or that people who utilize local services are here simply because this is the "end of the line."
Please listen to this Sundays with Seegers podcast featuring Mary Bickar, a local woman currently in recovery from meth addiction.
In the interview, Mary describes her experience at a treatment facility near Marysville, where she encountered multiple individuals who were planning to relocate to Port Angeles specifically because of the services available here. According to Mary, treatment staff and case managers were directing people toward Clallam County because of the housing assistance, social services, and support programs available.
Her account raises an important question: once individuals are brought here for treatment or services, and their caseworkers, housing resources, and support networks become established here, why would they leave?
Combined with permissive camping policies, abundant free services, and a relatively low-friction environment compared to many urban areas, it should not be surprising that some people choose to remain in Clallam County long after arriving from elsewhere.
Whether you agree with Mary's conclusions or not, her perspective comes from someone who has personally navigated the addiction and recovery system. It provides valuable insight that deserves consideration as the County continues to debate homelessness, addiction, and public policy.
I hope you will take the time to listen to her story.
Jeff you are right about individuals coming from all over. This is a business for the city & county. Bring them in, provide free stuff and create a bigger problem to get more money for a problem that this administration keeps perpetuating from previous administrations. This has been going on for too long. This is my opinion.
This facility at 825 E 5th Street, Port angeles, WA, Specialty Services, operated by American Behavior Health Systems was originally purchased by Clallam County, which was formerly Port Angeles Care Center for senior citizens. I recall when the County was in the process of purchasing the property, because it "lit my fuse", wondering what business Clallam County has in purchasing commercial property for a drug addiction treatment facility. This also confirms my understanding of how Ozias wormed his way from the Boys and Girls Club to County Commissioner, being a whiz kid at wrangling grant funding, and his affliliation with JKT, inter-mingling county business with that of a sovereign nation, and reverse. We now know why drug addicts are flocking to Port Angeles from the Puget Sound region and beyond. Specialty Services II is operated by American Behavioral Health Systems, out of Chehalis, WA, which focuses on "evidence based practices to support recovery and mental well-being." ABHS has a "treatment facility in Chehalis, WA as well, which has some interesting reviews from former patients/clients. Addiction/behavior health is big business, and a pipeline for grant money from myriad sources, including WA State, BIA, Tribal entities, includingto county and city governments. NGOs and non/not-for-profit (there is a difference) entities need to be audited by the IRS, because our State government is complicit, as well. Fear of speaking out is the guarantee that these fraudulent "medical" enterprises will continue. Just for fun, search ABHS, et al.
I heard Seattle is helping send the vagrants of their town over here because of the clean up for the World Cup Soccer matches. Would not surprise me that this is happening. Move the misery somewhere else is not a solution.
Once the word is out that there is a path of least resistance then human nature will dictate that it will be chosen for those who aren't concerned with their own actions.
Interesting how the boat haven showers are real close to the Tumwater and Valley creek palletvilles...but they chose to mix the Kavorkians with kids rather than adult sailors. Its a demonstrable lack of common sense.
Here is whats interesting about the boat haven showers. Every fricking day we go on and on about harm reduction. We could drop it for one day and lets just say why not spend a minute and have a discussion about maybe if we can get PA on the map for a destination marina and just maybe we can bring in some boaters that will drop some coin in this broke ass town. Not going to happen
With the current mentality of the Port. The current facilities are a disgrace
Yesterday a mention was made of a fentanyl patch being found at the Shore Pool. I find that curious and don't know what to make of it. Pharmaceutical grade fentanyl in liquid form has been used by anesthesiologists for intraoperative pain control for a number of decades. It can be given IV, then, when the case is wrapping up, it is turned off and anesthesia is reversed as the patient is sent to recovery. This is not street fentanyl which, I understand, is in powder form, dosage unregulated. Fentanyl patches prescribed by a physician have been around for a while and are used to treat chronic pain. I have not heard of them being used in treating patients in rehab as they withdraw from narcotics. An addict actively using probably would not have an interest in one because the slow, transdermal release over up to 48 hours would not give them the "hit" they are looking for. It is possible a patient with chronic pain and a legitimate prescription for patches dropped one when changing and/or showering.
Used fentanyl patches or used band aids found on the floor indicates improper maintenance of the facility and lack of observance by staff. Also an indication of lack of personal responsibility by SOME users of the facility. With this knowledge, one would expect some leadership investigation and mitigation. I have not heard of any.
A black market in patches is possible although with the state tracking narcotic prescriptions these days it is harder to pull off. Doctor hopping/shopping could get one multiple prescriptions. Multiple IDs would help. I suppose if one slapped on 5-6 patches at a time it could get one high. I do know of three physicians who either lost their licenses or had prescribing restricted because of narcotics issues, but that is a subject for another discussion.
That’s not how drug addicts use Fentanyl patches. They scrape the embedded drug off the surfaces and treat it much like heroin. It is combined with liquid and injected. Addicts are a creative bunch. That came to me secondhand, but from a reliable source.
Do the people who support, encourage, and run the harm reduction policies finally get it? If you don't, then when?
We don't hate the people who are addicted, because they're addicted. We hate your policies that keep them in this filth. Your lack of the most time tested, reasonable, mechanisms to work toward recovery and framework around that are woefully missing.
Its always gonna be on your own terms. I remember my Dad saying "I can't believe that my own son is weak and he needs a crutch." It did not have the affect he wanted. The next weekend I called him and told him I was on acid. It was funny to me but to him I was "hysterical" and he shouted "get ahold of your self John." He never forgot that day. To him it was an episode of Dragnet to me it was all fun and games at a Blue Oyster Cult concert or a trip to Lazerium...(Laser dome.)
It was not until 2007, when my daughter gave me that look, did I really look in the mirror. Then the "crusades' saved me too. Worthingon v. WestNET.
Thank you Jeff, Jake, and Mary for her story. Many in this county have never heard a firsthand account like that, and it underscores a truth we can no longer ignore: recovery is extraordinarily difficult, and our current system does almost nothing to support those who are trying to get clean. In fact, in Clallam County, it is easier to stay addicted than to access treatment. That is a tragic statement to make about any community.
Yet the response from county leadership has been to take the path of least resistance. Money continues to flow into NGOs with minimal oversight, while commissioners sit on the boards of many of those same organizations. That should alarm every taxpayer. Instead of building a real treatment continuum, we are funding the same programs year after year with no measurable outcomes and no accountability.
We hear repeatedly that Narcan is the “solution.” Narcan saves lives, and it should be available—but it is not a strategy. It is not treatment. It is not recovery. It is a temporary intervention that, without a pathway to detox and residential care, becomes a revolving door. The human body can only withstand so many reversals before the physical and mental toll becomes irreversible. That is not compassion; it is slow motion neglect.
Commissioner Ozias recently stated that inpatient detox is “market driven” and a “money loser,” and that even creating six detox beds would be a “steep uphill climb.” If that is the position of this Board, then you are telling the public—plainly—that Clallam County will not have detox or residential treatment, only a revolving door "treatment". Why can other counties establish treatment facilities through collaborative efforts to build these facilities through public ownership, regional partnerships, hospital anchored models, and dedicated funding streams. They made different choices. They treated treatment as essential infrastructure, not a market commodity.
So, I ask: where is our plan? Where is the regional strategy? Where is the use of opioid settlement dollars for actual treatment beds instead of more administrative overhead? Where is the quarterly reporting on outcomes from the organizations receiving millions in public funds? And where is the leadership that acknowledges the visible consequences of these decisions—the people slumped in doorways, the trash, the drug paraphernalia, the human suffering that anyone can see simply by driving through our community? Do these people not care about the suffering?
This county deserves better than blinders and boilerplate. We deserve a real continuum of care, real oversight, and real accountability. We deserve commissioners and a health director who treat addiction as a public health crisis requiring infrastructure, not as a grant funding opportunity for nonprofits.
Clallam County cannot keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. It is time to change course. It is time to prioritize residential treatment, detox capacity, and measurable outcomes. And it is time for this Board to demonstrate the leadership this community has been asking for, loudly and consistently, for years. That will only change by voting wisely, starting this year with Jake and next year and the following year.
In case some dont know, Dr. Allison Berry is the Clallam County Health Officer (does not state part-time employee), as well as the Jefferson County Health Officer (does not state part-time employee). She is also employed at JKT's MAT Clinic in Sequim. She is appointed to her position in Clallam Co. by the Clallam Co. Board of Health of which our 3 Commissioners are members as well as 6 representatives from tribes, cities, healthcare/public health consumers & community members. The Board sets her salary. Once appointed, Dr. Berry becomes a non-voting member of the Board. Her appointment is indefinite. It appears, that only the Cl. Co. Board of Health would have the authority to remove her. But why would they want to do that & possibly stop the monies flowing?
Commissioner (?) Ozias said it all, "market driven", "up hill climb", "money loser". Money loser for NGO's and non-profits PROFITING from sustaining the dependency on legal Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT). If these programs really wanted to help people get free of drugs, they would work themselves out of a job on the money train. I first heard of Oxford house two weeks ago from commissioner Johnson at a commissioners meeting. We have been asking questions for months on how commissioners are addressing the problem of drug use in the county and the only answer so far has been "HARM REDUCTION". They shy away from embracing re-criminalizing illegal drug use, stating one size does not fit all. Neither does HARM REDUCTION fit all. I am not advocating for "let em die on the street". I am asking commissioners to listen to people Like Stacey and Mary, and Mark, and Cindy,and many more who have commented on what worked for us. I wonder if the body of Clallam County Commissioners can actually can actually listen and comprehend the positive results of what we are sating. I even wonder more if they are able to work together for the benefit of the county residents, or just the special interest groups that inflate their egos.
Thank you Mary. Thank you CC Watchdog. I certainly hope the Board of Clallam County Commissioners listen, with both ears, and give a public response. Accountability is necessary for a us to stay inside the norms we set. If not accountable to obey the laws we have established, then the laws are useless.
Thank you, Jeff, Jake, Mary, and Stacey. You bring truth and perspective to the very serious issue of drug addiction. I'm glad I got to meet you, Mary, because you are a ball of energy and I enjoyed talking to you and Stacey after the boofing meeting. Great job, by the way! I pray for you daily and may all your days be filled with hope. Happy Sunday, everyone!
Thank you Mary, Stacey, Jake and Jeff, for making this interview happen! Good work to Mary for getting through each day; that’s something to be proud of!
While Powder Monkey claims that interviews like this are used for a narrative asset, I don’t see it that way. I appreciate what this podcast is — a record of recovery.
I don’t think for one instant that Jake is doing these interviews only because he is running for county commissioner. I believe he truly cares about people facing these challenges and wants to help them.
Getting information to the people is a big help. Who else is doing interviews like these out here? No one. Jake is doing it; and the people who agree to the interviews of their own free will and volition are doing it. Jake could just as easily not do any of this and still run for county commissioner — which is what Mike French is doing — but instead Jake sees an opportunity to reach people, help people, and share their stories; there’s power in that.
No matter what anyone says, the record speaks for itself. People in recovery deserve to be heard at any day of their journey; that’s a powerful record that speaks volumes. It may not be data from an expert, but an expert who never went through addiction could ever create a record like Mary’s; the lived experience counts and is worth examining.
Meth is slow death! It was my cousin's drug of choice. It was the use of meth not an overdose or some disease or infection from dirty pipes or needles that killed him.
Congratulations Mary for choosing life and thank you for speaking up.
Ooof, this one was tough. OOH, props to Mary! I can’t imagine what she has and will go through on her journey. OTOH, I firmly believe HEN, TAFY, harm reduction, and all the entities providing rent, tents, etc must be prohibited from providing these items to folks without a case manager or other responsible party coordinating or overseeing the care of the individual. If we can’t get our arms around this and insist on accountability, then we cannot hope to improve this situation.
Stacey is just awesome! I first got to know her through my business. She has a home in PA where my crew did some extensive work to make improvements. I imagine, knowing more now, that this was also to house some individuals like Mary, as she has several people at her home. I hope that I'm not invading her privacy, but I do have to say, as the situation speaks for itself, she is a very kind, compassionate, wonderful person. I have a great deal of respect for her.
As for Mary... good job! Keep up the good work! It is a lot of work and it will continue to be hard to make good choices. Life is hard for all of us in different ways. We just need to continue to make good choices.
My sister would say this to the kids when they'd head out the door,"Make good choices!" Something that we all need to tell ourselves everyday, as a great start to our day.
Washington HEN is funded through the state commerce dept. through local contracted providers like Serenity. One HEN landlord in PA who rents out rooms to HEN clients through Serenity is a convicted on multiple counts of child pornography with mutiple counts of abuse on children under age 8 involving adults performing S&M acts on the children. Due to generous to offender policies in WA, after serving time elsewhere he is not required to be publicly listed here. For a while he and his wife lived in one of the homes where he rented rooms but they eventually moved to Jefferson county. Both homes are in the same block and many of the "tenants" have history of violence. When a concerned neighbor contacted Serenity about problem tennants, they were told it was landlord's job to vet tennants not theirs. When asked why they were paying rent to enrich a pedophile, the response from Serenity was it's the clients job to screen the landlord. It's a circle of non responsibilty dragging down local neighborhoods.
I am all for personal freedom that doesn't harm or burden anyone else, but why is Clallam a destination of choice for fast tracking to "free" gender care that comes with lifetime medicalization when our local hospital and clinics can't even meet current demands and are going broke?
At the last BOH meeting Berry was happy to report on a recent harm reduction event where they screened for hepatitis and a good percent of those who were screened were positive and started on treatment right away. Renal failure (can be part of progression of hep)is one of the allowed uses for Rx fentanyl, just saying. Yes, the patch could just be from some poor cancer patient who got careless, but patients with legit Rx are counciled on the responsibilty required of the user. Even if the patch was from a legit Rx, it laying around seems like evidence that users (even of legit Rx fent) might not be able to be fully responsible while under the influence. But we expect users of street fent to make their own choice to get well while under the influence and being handed bags of use tools? hmmmm
The only time I ever tried fentanyl was from a patch just like the one pictured. A woman on chronic pain management whom I would occasionally sell to stockpiled them up for trade. Many heroine addicts back then loved them because you could eat the patch in sections. And I remember eating a tiny corner once and boy was I not ready for the outcome ( heroine was never my drug of choice anyhow)
I was driving down 1-5 and binocular darkness began to settle in. I had to pull over and pass out for roughly 2 hours or so. Never again! Those things pack a punch
The members of the Shore Pool Board did not reply to yesterday's email asking what safety protocols have been put in place not that free shower vouchers are being distributed to transient addicts. Here is today's email sent to the county commissioners:
Dear Commissioners,
Over the years, county officials have stated that most individuals experiencing homelessness in Clallam County are from here, or that people who utilize local services are here simply because this is the "end of the line."
Please listen to this Sundays with Seegers podcast featuring Mary Bickar, a local woman currently in recovery from meth addiction.
In the interview, Mary describes her experience at a treatment facility near Marysville, where she encountered multiple individuals who were planning to relocate to Port Angeles specifically because of the services available here. According to Mary, treatment staff and case managers were directing people toward Clallam County because of the housing assistance, social services, and support programs available.
Her account raises an important question: once individuals are brought here for treatment or services, and their caseworkers, housing resources, and support networks become established here, why would they leave?
Combined with permissive camping policies, abundant free services, and a relatively low-friction environment compared to many urban areas, it should not be surprising that some people choose to remain in Clallam County long after arriving from elsewhere.
Whether you agree with Mary's conclusions or not, her perspective comes from someone who has personally navigated the addiction and recovery system. It provides valuable insight that deserves consideration as the County continues to debate homelessness, addiction, and public policy.
I hope you will take the time to listen to her story.
Jeff you are right about individuals coming from all over. This is a business for the city & county. Bring them in, provide free stuff and create a bigger problem to get more money for a problem that this administration keeps perpetuating from previous administrations. This has been going on for too long. This is my opinion.
This facility at 825 E 5th Street, Port angeles, WA, Specialty Services, operated by American Behavior Health Systems was originally purchased by Clallam County, which was formerly Port Angeles Care Center for senior citizens. I recall when the County was in the process of purchasing the property, because it "lit my fuse", wondering what business Clallam County has in purchasing commercial property for a drug addiction treatment facility. This also confirms my understanding of how Ozias wormed his way from the Boys and Girls Club to County Commissioner, being a whiz kid at wrangling grant funding, and his affliliation with JKT, inter-mingling county business with that of a sovereign nation, and reverse. We now know why drug addicts are flocking to Port Angeles from the Puget Sound region and beyond. Specialty Services II is operated by American Behavioral Health Systems, out of Chehalis, WA, which focuses on "evidence based practices to support recovery and mental well-being." ABHS has a "treatment facility in Chehalis, WA as well, which has some interesting reviews from former patients/clients. Addiction/behavior health is big business, and a pipeline for grant money from myriad sources, including WA State, BIA, Tribal entities, includingto county and city governments. NGOs and non/not-for-profit (there is a difference) entities need to be audited by the IRS, because our State government is complicit, as well. Fear of speaking out is the guarantee that these fraudulent "medical" enterprises will continue. Just for fun, search ABHS, et al.
Oh, and further, congratulations, Mary Bickar. Today is the first day of the rest of your life... you're on track.
I heard Seattle is helping send the vagrants of their town over here because of the clean up for the World Cup Soccer matches. Would not surprise me that this is happening. Move the misery somewhere else is not a solution.
When I lived on the northern Oregon coast Portland did that. Buy them a bus ticket and send them out so they did not have to deal with it.
Once the word is out that there is a path of least resistance then human nature will dictate that it will be chosen for those who aren't concerned with their own actions.
Interesting how the boat haven showers are real close to the Tumwater and Valley creek palletvilles...but they chose to mix the Kavorkians with kids rather than adult sailors. Its a demonstrable lack of common sense.
Here is whats interesting about the boat haven showers. Every fricking day we go on and on about harm reduction. We could drop it for one day and lets just say why not spend a minute and have a discussion about maybe if we can get PA on the map for a destination marina and just maybe we can bring in some boaters that will drop some coin in this broke ass town. Not going to happen
With the current mentality of the Port. The current facilities are a disgrace
The sailors are far more capable of dealing with those types of "neighbors," than children..
Thing about boaters they cast off the lines and get the hell out of town.
"One step ahead of the jailer.."
Yesterday a mention was made of a fentanyl patch being found at the Shore Pool. I find that curious and don't know what to make of it. Pharmaceutical grade fentanyl in liquid form has been used by anesthesiologists for intraoperative pain control for a number of decades. It can be given IV, then, when the case is wrapping up, it is turned off and anesthesia is reversed as the patient is sent to recovery. This is not street fentanyl which, I understand, is in powder form, dosage unregulated. Fentanyl patches prescribed by a physician have been around for a while and are used to treat chronic pain. I have not heard of them being used in treating patients in rehab as they withdraw from narcotics. An addict actively using probably would not have an interest in one because the slow, transdermal release over up to 48 hours would not give them the "hit" they are looking for. It is possible a patient with chronic pain and a legitimate prescription for patches dropped one when changing and/or showering.
Used fentanyl patches or used band aids found on the floor indicates improper maintenance of the facility and lack of observance by staff. Also an indication of lack of personal responsibility by SOME users of the facility. With this knowledge, one would expect some leadership investigation and mitigation. I have not heard of any.
Leadership from this crowd? Only if it leads to more grant money without accountability.
You said legitimate prescriptions. That is open for debate in the drug users world of deception. Easy to get stuff black market in PA.
A black market in patches is possible although with the state tracking narcotic prescriptions these days it is harder to pull off. Doctor hopping/shopping could get one multiple prescriptions. Multiple IDs would help. I suppose if one slapped on 5-6 patches at a time it could get one high. I do know of three physicians who either lost their licenses or had prescribing restricted because of narcotics issues, but that is a subject for another discussion.
That’s not how drug addicts use Fentanyl patches. They scrape the embedded drug off the surfaces and treat it much like heroin. It is combined with liquid and injected. Addicts are a creative bunch. That came to me secondhand, but from a reliable source.
Oh, nice.
Tu for the info I thought that there was a way they were using these patches
Thanks for the info
Thank you CCWD and Jake for this story of hope. I am proud of you Mary, I am glad you have
someone helping you on this journey. Thank you for your story and again I am proud of you.
"and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" John 8:32
Inspiring but what she says about P.A. attracting druggies is spot on, and it's NOT accidental-- it is what the Commissioners are INTENTIONALLY doing.
$$$, Tribe, Sequim is next.
Oh, and Dr. Bury....
Stay on the crusades. You will win more than you lose.
My congratulations to Mary. A difficult journey at best.
Do the people who support, encourage, and run the harm reduction policies finally get it? If you don't, then when?
We don't hate the people who are addicted, because they're addicted. We hate your policies that keep them in this filth. Your lack of the most time tested, reasonable, mechanisms to work toward recovery and framework around that are woefully missing.
Why is that?
Amen.
You nailed it! What they are currently doing is inhumane.
Its always gonna be on your own terms. I remember my Dad saying "I can't believe that my own son is weak and he needs a crutch." It did not have the affect he wanted. The next weekend I called him and told him I was on acid. It was funny to me but to him I was "hysterical" and he shouted "get ahold of your self John." He never forgot that day. To him it was an episode of Dragnet to me it was all fun and games at a Blue Oyster Cult concert or a trip to Lazerium...(Laser dome.)
It was not until 2007, when my daughter gave me that look, did I really look in the mirror. Then the "crusades' saved me too. Worthingon v. WestNET.
Thank you Jeff, Jake, and Mary for her story. Many in this county have never heard a firsthand account like that, and it underscores a truth we can no longer ignore: recovery is extraordinarily difficult, and our current system does almost nothing to support those who are trying to get clean. In fact, in Clallam County, it is easier to stay addicted than to access treatment. That is a tragic statement to make about any community.
Yet the response from county leadership has been to take the path of least resistance. Money continues to flow into NGOs with minimal oversight, while commissioners sit on the boards of many of those same organizations. That should alarm every taxpayer. Instead of building a real treatment continuum, we are funding the same programs year after year with no measurable outcomes and no accountability.
We hear repeatedly that Narcan is the “solution.” Narcan saves lives, and it should be available—but it is not a strategy. It is not treatment. It is not recovery. It is a temporary intervention that, without a pathway to detox and residential care, becomes a revolving door. The human body can only withstand so many reversals before the physical and mental toll becomes irreversible. That is not compassion; it is slow motion neglect.
Commissioner Ozias recently stated that inpatient detox is “market driven” and a “money loser,” and that even creating six detox beds would be a “steep uphill climb.” If that is the position of this Board, then you are telling the public—plainly—that Clallam County will not have detox or residential treatment, only a revolving door "treatment". Why can other counties establish treatment facilities through collaborative efforts to build these facilities through public ownership, regional partnerships, hospital anchored models, and dedicated funding streams. They made different choices. They treated treatment as essential infrastructure, not a market commodity.
So, I ask: where is our plan? Where is the regional strategy? Where is the use of opioid settlement dollars for actual treatment beds instead of more administrative overhead? Where is the quarterly reporting on outcomes from the organizations receiving millions in public funds? And where is the leadership that acknowledges the visible consequences of these decisions—the people slumped in doorways, the trash, the drug paraphernalia, the human suffering that anyone can see simply by driving through our community? Do these people not care about the suffering?
This county deserves better than blinders and boilerplate. We deserve a real continuum of care, real oversight, and real accountability. We deserve commissioners and a health director who treat addiction as a public health crisis requiring infrastructure, not as a grant funding opportunity for nonprofits.
Clallam County cannot keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. It is time to change course. It is time to prioritize residential treatment, detox capacity, and measurable outcomes. And it is time for this Board to demonstrate the leadership this community has been asking for, loudly and consistently, for years. That will only change by voting wisely, starting this year with Jake and next year and the following year.
In case some dont know, Dr. Allison Berry is the Clallam County Health Officer (does not state part-time employee), as well as the Jefferson County Health Officer (does not state part-time employee). She is also employed at JKT's MAT Clinic in Sequim. She is appointed to her position in Clallam Co. by the Clallam Co. Board of Health of which our 3 Commissioners are members as well as 6 representatives from tribes, cities, healthcare/public health consumers & community members. The Board sets her salary. Once appointed, Dr. Berry becomes a non-voting member of the Board. Her appointment is indefinite. It appears, that only the Cl. Co. Board of Health would have the authority to remove her. But why would they want to do that & possibly stop the monies flowing?
YES!
And to follow onto GrandmaShell's statements yesterday about loving thy neighbor. Harm reduction is not love, not even close.
Commissioner (?) Ozias said it all, "market driven", "up hill climb", "money loser". Money loser for NGO's and non-profits PROFITING from sustaining the dependency on legal Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT). If these programs really wanted to help people get free of drugs, they would work themselves out of a job on the money train. I first heard of Oxford house two weeks ago from commissioner Johnson at a commissioners meeting. We have been asking questions for months on how commissioners are addressing the problem of drug use in the county and the only answer so far has been "HARM REDUCTION". They shy away from embracing re-criminalizing illegal drug use, stating one size does not fit all. Neither does HARM REDUCTION fit all. I am not advocating for "let em die on the street". I am asking commissioners to listen to people Like Stacey and Mary, and Mark, and Cindy,and many more who have commented on what worked for us. I wonder if the body of Clallam County Commissioners can actually can actually listen and comprehend the positive results of what we are sating. I even wonder more if they are able to work together for the benefit of the county residents, or just the special interest groups that inflate their egos.
Thank you Mary. Thank you CC Watchdog. I certainly hope the Board of Clallam County Commissioners listen, with both ears, and give a public response. Accountability is necessary for a us to stay inside the norms we set. If not accountable to obey the laws we have established, then the laws are useless.
Thank you, Jeff, Jake, Mary, and Stacey. You bring truth and perspective to the very serious issue of drug addiction. I'm glad I got to meet you, Mary, because you are a ball of energy and I enjoyed talking to you and Stacey after the boofing meeting. Great job, by the way! I pray for you daily and may all your days be filled with hope. Happy Sunday, everyone!
Thank you Mary, Stacey, Jake and Jeff, for making this interview happen! Good work to Mary for getting through each day; that’s something to be proud of!
While Powder Monkey claims that interviews like this are used for a narrative asset, I don’t see it that way. I appreciate what this podcast is — a record of recovery.
I don’t think for one instant that Jake is doing these interviews only because he is running for county commissioner. I believe he truly cares about people facing these challenges and wants to help them.
Getting information to the people is a big help. Who else is doing interviews like these out here? No one. Jake is doing it; and the people who agree to the interviews of their own free will and volition are doing it. Jake could just as easily not do any of this and still run for county commissioner — which is what Mike French is doing — but instead Jake sees an opportunity to reach people, help people, and share their stories; there’s power in that.
No matter what anyone says, the record speaks for itself. People in recovery deserve to be heard at any day of their journey; that’s a powerful record that speaks volumes. It may not be data from an expert, but an expert who never went through addiction could ever create a record like Mary’s; the lived experience counts and is worth examining.
I dare people to have just one conversation with Jake about this and walk away still believing it isn't heartfelt.
AI has no heart.
Meth is slow death! It was my cousin's drug of choice. It was the use of meth not an overdose or some disease or infection from dirty pipes or needles that killed him.
Congratulations Mary for choosing life and thank you for speaking up.
Ooof, this one was tough. OOH, props to Mary! I can’t imagine what she has and will go through on her journey. OTOH, I firmly believe HEN, TAFY, harm reduction, and all the entities providing rent, tents, etc must be prohibited from providing these items to folks without a case manager or other responsible party coordinating or overseeing the care of the individual. If we can’t get our arms around this and insist on accountability, then we cannot hope to improve this situation.
Stacey is just awesome! I first got to know her through my business. She has a home in PA where my crew did some extensive work to make improvements. I imagine, knowing more now, that this was also to house some individuals like Mary, as she has several people at her home. I hope that I'm not invading her privacy, but I do have to say, as the situation speaks for itself, she is a very kind, compassionate, wonderful person. I have a great deal of respect for her.
As for Mary... good job! Keep up the good work! It is a lot of work and it will continue to be hard to make good choices. Life is hard for all of us in different ways. We just need to continue to make good choices.
My sister would say this to the kids when they'd head out the door,"Make good choices!" Something that we all need to tell ourselves everyday, as a great start to our day.
Thanks to Mary for her courage in sharing.
Washington HEN is funded through the state commerce dept. through local contracted providers like Serenity. One HEN landlord in PA who rents out rooms to HEN clients through Serenity is a convicted on multiple counts of child pornography with mutiple counts of abuse on children under age 8 involving adults performing S&M acts on the children. Due to generous to offender policies in WA, after serving time elsewhere he is not required to be publicly listed here. For a while he and his wife lived in one of the homes where he rented rooms but they eventually moved to Jefferson county. Both homes are in the same block and many of the "tenants" have history of violence. When a concerned neighbor contacted Serenity about problem tennants, they were told it was landlord's job to vet tennants not theirs. When asked why they were paying rent to enrich a pedophile, the response from Serenity was it's the clients job to screen the landlord. It's a circle of non responsibilty dragging down local neighborhoods.
I am all for personal freedom that doesn't harm or burden anyone else, but why is Clallam a destination of choice for fast tracking to "free" gender care that comes with lifetime medicalization when our local hospital and clinics can't even meet current demands and are going broke?
RE the fentanyl patch
At the last BOH meeting Berry was happy to report on a recent harm reduction event where they screened for hepatitis and a good percent of those who were screened were positive and started on treatment right away. Renal failure (can be part of progression of hep)is one of the allowed uses for Rx fentanyl, just saying. Yes, the patch could just be from some poor cancer patient who got careless, but patients with legit Rx are counciled on the responsibilty required of the user. Even if the patch was from a legit Rx, it laying around seems like evidence that users (even of legit Rx fent) might not be able to be fully responsible while under the influence. But we expect users of street fent to make their own choice to get well while under the influence and being handed bags of use tools? hmmmm
The only time I ever tried fentanyl was from a patch just like the one pictured. A woman on chronic pain management whom I would occasionally sell to stockpiled them up for trade. Many heroine addicts back then loved them because you could eat the patch in sections. And I remember eating a tiny corner once and boy was I not ready for the outcome ( heroine was never my drug of choice anyhow)
I was driving down 1-5 and binocular darkness began to settle in. I had to pull over and pass out for roughly 2 hours or so. Never again! Those things pack a punch