As Clallam County prepares a taxpayer-funded messaging push to defend harm reduction, questions grow about whether officials are prioritizing spin over measurable results
What we’re noticing isn’t just political tension — it’s a methodological tension.
Public health is built on a very clear framework:
1. Observe the environment
2. Gather quantitative data
3. Compare with qualitative lived experience
4. Identify bias and confounders
Adjust intervention: If observable environmental indicators (needle litter, open-air use, encampment growth, public disorder) are worsening while internal program metrics show success, that is not automatically proof of failure — but it is a signal to interrogate the measurement system.
That’s where the real governance irony lives. You can have:
1. More syringes “returned” than distributed (program metric)
2. Increased visible drug use and public disorder (environmental indicator)
Both can be true at the same time if:
1. Return counts rely on estimation rather than direct counts (measurement inflation risk).
2. Syringe exchange reduces disease transmission but does not reduce use frequency.
3. Drug supply potency (fentanyl/meth mix) increases consumption intensity.
4. Population inflow shifts (mobility effects).
5. Harm reduction stabilizes users without transitioning them into recovery.
But here is the governance gap: If Dr. Berry (Public Health Officer) publicly dismisses environmental observation as “misinformation,” "She/They" (Noted on Dr. Berry's Zoom title, October 21, 2025, Clallam County Board of Health meeting) is ignoring a foundational public health principle — community-level observational data is still data.
In epidemiology, that’s called triangulation:
1. Surveillance data
2. Clinical data
3. Environmental observation
4. Community report
When one leg of the triangle is discounted, bias risk increases.
I agree. What we also find is there are many who choose Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics to cover their predetermined outcome(s). Research is only valuable when the researcher allows the factual results to stand, rather than modify them to suit their purposes.
Dr Berry clearly has a communication problem, but its the kind you get from someone who's spent too many years trying to explain basic public-health math to people who think anecdotes are data and data is a conspiracy. At some point even the calmest epidemiologisy starts sounding short, not because the work is wrong, but because the noise around it is just so loud. The whole “environmental observation” routine would make more sense if anyone were actually doing environmental observation instead of waving around anecdotes like they’re lab results. Public health uses triangulation to catch bias, not to elevate every scanner blip and sidewalk story into gospel. So lecturing the epidemiologist about epidemiology while treating loose anecdotes as data, starts to feel a bit off. If you want to talk evidence, talk evidence. If you want to tell stories, call it storytelling. Mixing the two just muddies the water and then blames the water for being muddy.
@powdermonkey, I’m not elevating anecdotes over epidemiology. I’m asking whether environmental indicators are being systematically measured alongside surveillance metrics.
If needle litter density, encampment growth, public sanitation impacts, and open-use complaints are increasing, they are measurable conditions—not just stories. If they aren’t being tracked formally, that’s a gap worth addressing. If they are being tracked, they should be disclosed transparently.
Public health metrics and civic condition metrics are not identical. When they move in different directions, the responsible response isn’t dismissal — it’s reconciliation.
That’s not anti-science. It’s asking for a full-scope measurement.
Community Environmental Observation Initiative: If residents believe environmental conditions such as needle litter, encampment density, sanitation impacts, or open-use activity are increasing, the most constructive response is not argument — it is documentation.
Public health decisions rely on structured data. If certain environmental indicators are not currently being tracked longitudinally or published in a dashboard format, citizens can contribute by documenting observations systematically and submitting them through official county channels.
This is not about replacing epidemiology with anecdotes.
It is about ensuring that observable environmental conditions are recorded consistently and measured so they can be evaluated alongside overdose statistics, treatment data, and disease surveillance metrics.
Residents who wish to participate should:
1. Record date, time, and precise location.
2. Quantify observations where possible (e.g., approximate count of visible syringes, number of tents, proximity to waterways).
3. Avoid speculation about causes or individuals.
4. Submit reports through official county reporting systems or public comment processes.
5. Retain copies to establish longitudinal patterns if conditions persist.
If multiple residents document similar conditions over time using consistent criteria, that becomes structured environmental data — not anecdote.
The goal is not to undermine public health professionals.
The goal is to strengthen the measurement framework by ensuring all relevant indicators are visible and transparent.
Great question! Each grant has a nofo-notice of funding opportunity which provides the specific requirements etc. So, it depends. Which grant funding are you thinking of?
Powdermonkey, if things were really so blissful in our county, why are the majority of residents afraid of these tents, tarps, trash cities that have sprung up everywhere accompanied by dangerous needles, human waste, trash, pathogens, frightening behaviors from individuals high on drugs. People in PA, Sequim, et al are begging for help against this blatant disregard of residents’s safety and peace of mind that once was a beautiful and safe city. Confronted now with human waste on sidewalks, trashing of once lovely environment, corners, streets, even our breezeway full of trash and pathogens. Normal people are rightly disgusted and fearful. Rational decisions to solve the drug and safety issue are no where to be found.
Those who claim lack of perception and misunderstanding no doubt do not live in our towns. They are paid enough to live outside the pathetic trash and behaviors they claim are improving because of their magnanimous gifts. The claim that removing the trash is “ stealing” is laughable and unhinged.
Billy, I sent this to another concerned citizen who asked me the same question:
Addressing these issues is a top priority for me, and I firmly believe we have the ability at the local level to make meaningful change.
Current policies embraced by city and county leadership have made Clallam County a path of least resistance for homelessness and substance abuse. That must change.
This is how I will lead. I will work collaboratively with city officials, port leadership, and law enforcement to implement the following:
1. End outdoor living on public land by revising ordinances where necessary and consistently enforcing existing laws.
2. Prioritize local housing resources for individuals who are currently residing in Clallam County.
3. Strengthen shelter policies and standards to ensure our services are attractive and supportive for those transitioning from outdoor living.
4. Expand transitional shelter capacity by prioritizing lower-cost, scalable options rather than focusing primarily on cost-prohibitive permanent supportive housing.
5. Reduce cash flow that fuels addiction through clear anti-panhandling signage and public education campaigns.
6. Redirect funding from drug-use supplies to treatment programs that deliver measurable, outcome-based results.
7. Measure success by outcomes, not inputs — tracking how many individuals transition from addiction to sobriety, and from homelessness and dependency to stable, self-sufficient lives.
I am committed to accountability, collaboration, and results that improve safety, economic growth, and quality of life for our entire community.
The County needs tough love for the 'campers'. Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on condos with no transition opportunity is not a solution. We need to bring jobs to CC. The further this County slips into decline will further degrade our image and turn away potential investment. Take 10 'campers' out of the forest and place them in comfy condos and the word will spread and we'll have 20 more 'campers' looking for their comfy condo. All we do in CC is make it convenient to be a drug addict. And where does the cash come from to fund the addiction? Breaking into cars, etc... CC cannot FIX the ADDICTION CRISIS. It is a national problem. I don't hear from you that you want to move the problem from CC but rather I interpret your words as doing a better job of measuring the success of spent dollars and further providing a welcome mat in the form of shelter for the 'campers'. Please refute this if you have a tougher stance that goes beyond measuring, counting, visual presentations... Seen 'em...
The above steps will still leave individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction with choices: move in with friends or family, take advantage of shelter options locally or find another county that welcomes open drug use and outdoor living. Right now Clallam County is that place. If local officials will choose to lead boldly, we can make sure that Clallam is no longer the place of least resistance for homelessness and substance abuse.
I appreciate your hard-nosed position, because it's about where I am with the entire homeless drug-addicted issue, but the largesse of society won't tolerate that unfortunately. People with our philosophy, imo, are the minority. As such I'm left with trying to figure out what's the best I can hope for without having a coronary. There will never be anyone who can effectuate what we want to see, and more critically is that to turn this ship around cannot be done overnight for myriad reasons that even a county commissioner cannot control.
To engage Jake in a forum where critical understanding is needed for your questions, and his responses, is imo not the place. Far too many nuances can be missed. I've read and heard other responses from Jake he didn't include here because that's how forums go.
used syringe numbers far exceeded the numbers given out in Harm Reduction /drug
ready kits.
Who is creeping into Clallam County and dumping their used needles? Who did it!
Excuse us for not buying what some people use as statistical evidence.
The easy way: stop harm reduction with its supplies.. You do see how completely mind numbing this program is. No I dont think that used needles close to tents means they are still being used.
The drugs aren’t legal
The tents are not legal
The areas becoming encampments have not been given up by county or parks so not legal/trespass.
Leaving any and all garbage on publicly streets, allies, private businesses property, is not legal.
I dream of a day I drive a monster rig with a huge front loader, through town scraping up the drug village. Any one chased from their tent can hop on the bus behind my shovel truck.
Jennifer you are right . We just need to get a large number of .
Hi, Susan! I agree. The syringe counts do not make sense. The boldness of Berry to claim such a large difference in syringes collected without actually counting them displays a big problem: Questionable data and claims coming out of BOH and HHS have eroded public trust.
We need to restore common sense and a commitment to verifiable, factual data to our local government departments and agencies. Our focus should be on pursuing and measuring outcomes that our community is clearly demanding rather than relying on metrics that primarily sustain funding streams for departmental obsessions and NGOs.
Jake is a volunteer with 4PA. He gets his hands involved along with getting to know those who have and are suffering from drug addiction. Jake uses his experiences and real life conversations with the drug addicted and homeless to ask the right questions to formulate statics to counter Dr. Berry's reports. In other words, Jake sees the real problems and acts in a more productive way to deliver improved outcomes.
Do you think Berry could stoop to pick up a "dirty" needle, much less participate in an accurate count, or visit a street encampment, or maybe read a book that counters her own narrative, like with fact from addicts themselves? Sorry for the run on, I AM PISSED OFF.
At $100,000+ a year, Berry could afford to hire a "needle picker-upper" to accompany her on field research" Personally, I think this whole "program" is Bullshit. I'm pissed off too!
I'm sure it is much more than that, Denise. 90,000 syringes alone, not including other drug-use supplies...those syringes are pricey. Who wants to do a PRR and find out exactly what the county pays for syringes, pipes, roofing kits, foil, etc?
Denise this is where we disagree for really the first time. 4PA is wonderful, yes. But cleaning up the mess will only move the mess elsewhere and then back to where it started. We need to rid CC of these people plain and simple. At the moment CC has NO alternative for them. No jobs for these people. We need real jobs where CC CAN say, look, clean up, straighten up, we have an alternative for you. CC does NOT have that today. Making CC a happy place to get high with no future is no future.
Many folks that I talk to outside are not from here. I ask them where they would go if they could no longer live outside. Many of them say that they would leave the county.
Actually Billy, I agree with you. I just find the fist-pounding insistence odd. I like your idea of a formal debate because those are always good and gives the candidates more time to explain their POVs and stances. Jake is informally conducting a debate with the Commissioners, either individually or collectively, via public comments at meetings. He's there on our behalf.
Billy So true. Why get clean? All successful rehabbed addicts wanted better lives for themselves, their children, their families. If Clallam County can’t provide good foundations in which to live affordable & a stable community then addicts trying to get clean are fighting an uphill battle and will reoffend & return to the streets. Drug addicts who have good jobs, cars, houses, families, & children reoffend because something stresses them & our society has encouraged many ways to self medicate to cope. The addiction is a dealer away, a store away, a corner away……a needle away, a boof kit away….like candy! Jake did the hard numbers part & told us exactly what his plan is moving forward & why what we are currently doing is not working well enough. Thank you for sharing & laying all the real numbers & comparisons easy to see & understand with no smoke & mirrors. It’s what this voter has been waiting for! It is past time for change, it is high time we get what we are paying $118K a year for, that doesn’t include all the wasted money going to replicated NGO’s and many other political county causes.
Put yourself in the shoes of someone representing a Fortune 500 company. You see absolute natural beauty spoiled by homelessness and a drug culture. We have the space for a company to build but a workforce of what? CC is focusing on Jamestown. There you'll always be nothing more than a wage slave with no future beyond carrying drinks on a tray to a tourist or digging trenches. We need a real future. Clock is ticking.
Yes, it is sad to see what really spoils natural beauty. There is a lot of money pouring in thru HHS. That's where the fraud is being heavily investigated and found. This rooting out of all the bad guys will take time, because of the depth of corruption. Look at Jake as one torch that lights another to be passed onto another, etc. Pretty soon, you'll have enough light to help everyone. Gotta match?
It's not just the natural beauty being spoiled. It's the pure pollution of human sewage flowing into our waterways from these encampments. Jake has not impressed me yet as being that torch.
What I have learned is that Callam County, over decades, has outsourced business to the Jamestown tribe, and has trouble attracting manufacturing or other business for a variety of reasons that cannot be reversed with the flip of a switch. That proverbial clock has been ticking for a long time making the reality of reversing those policies a long-term proposition. A single Commissioner, imo, cannot turn a ship around by unilateral actions.
Flip of a switch, no, flip the elected officials, make some sensible laws and enforce them, then we at least have something positive to show. Clocks ticking down quickly to that clock never getting wound up in our lifetimes.
Flip of the switch refers to how fast change can occur. Flipping elected officials, at a minimum means that with very few people who are willing to stand up and take on these roles we are left to work with who will. In that sense it is clear to me that the current three commissioners are incapable of doing so. That leaves us with the reality that we will now need to hope and trust that a new person can make some change. As such Jake is that person. I don't see any other options.
Jake is also not a one-person solution. It takes people like you and me to do more than post comments. That's not to say that we don't have valid points or perspectives, but I also know that Jake listens to the comments and learns just as any good leader would learn from other people's good ideas. There's absolutely no way I would ever want a leader to believe that they have the only solutions and won't listen to others.
SOLUTION: Policy can be very simple. Offer our 'campers' and drug addicted a one way ticket to Seattle on a chartered bus and give them $100. Grace period. After that, law dictates they are arrested and handcuffed and put on a chartered bus to Seattle. Heck give 'em boof kits and needles, we won't need the supply. Get serious, get tough, don't make addiction a publicly funded 'choice' in CC.
@BillyTWilson, as a private citizen, you’re free to offer someone a bus ticket or financial help if they voluntarily accept it. That’s individual assistance.
Where government is different is in what it can lawfully do. Arresting and forcibly relocating people would not survive constitutional scrutiny. Courts have made clear that criminalizing homelessness when adequate shelter is unavailable is unconstitutional (Martin v. City of Boise, 920 F.3d 584 (9th Cir. 2019)), and forced relocation without due process would violate the Fourteenth Amendment. Policies that function as banishment have repeatedly been struck down. The county would face immediate legal challenge — and significant liability — at taxpayer expense.
That said, you’re right about one thing: local policy does shape incentives.
We are not required to design policies that unintentionally sustain long-term outdoor living. Lawful tools do exist, including:
• Enforcing public camping restrictions when adequate shelter capacity exists
• Structuring shelter standards around accountability and engagement
• Prioritizing residency in housing programs where legally permissible
• Tying funding to measurable outcomes like treatment entry and stabilization
• Aligning economic development with workforce re-entry pathways
The real policy question isn’t “bus people out.” It’s this:
What combination of enforcement, treatment, shelter capacity, and economic opportunity reduces visible disorder while remaining legally defensible?
If we want durable change, it has to both work in practice and withstand legal review. Tough rhetoric is easy. Durable policy is harder — but that’s the work.
Thank you for the reminder, Dr. Sarah, that private citizens are free to offer their own time and money to help the homeless and drug addicts. It’s not always a ‘we’ thing; when I want something done I have to do it myself, especially if I want it done the right way. LOL.
The League of Women Voters did not reply to Friday's questions about their role in the Conservation District election. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners and Dr. Berry,
I have a few questions I’d appreciate your clarity on: Can you explain how syringe returns are counted and whether they are individually verified versus estimated; what measurable outcomes (such as sustained recovery rates) the county is tracking to demonstrate the effectiveness of the current harm reduction strategy; why consideration is being given to adding a Public Information Officer when we are in a pattern of budget deficits; and what specific benchmarks or conditions would prompt a policy review or adjustment? I ask because transparency around data, counting methods, and outcome measures will help the community better understand and evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs.
Below is a model of a good governance reply by a county public health officer:
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for your questions regarding the specific methodologies and data practices within the Health and Human Services department. As the Public Health Officer, I want to provide the clinical and operational context for the figures we present to the Board.
1. On Syringe Counting Methodology:
You asked if returns are individually verified. They are not.
The Operational Reality: We adhere to strict OSHA and biohazard safety protocols, which discourage staff from manually handling used injection equipment to prevent needle-stick injuries and disease transmission.
The Limitation: Consequently, we use a standard "volume-to-unit" estimation formula based on container size. While this is the industry standard for biohazard disposal, you are correct that it produces an estimate, not an audited inventory. It is possible for these numbers to vary based on how efficiently containers are packed. We use these numbers to track broad utilization trends, but they should not be interpreted as a precise accounting of every single unit distributed versus returned.
2. On Measuring "Success" (Survival vs. Recovery):
From an epidemiological standpoint, my primary mandate is to prevent immediate mortality (overdose deaths) and communicable disease outbreaks (HIV/Hepatitis C).
The Distinction: We have historically tracked "lives saved" (overdose reversals) rather than "lives changed" (long-term recovery).
The Pivot: However, I agree that survival is the baseline, not the ceiling. We are currently exploring ways to better track referrals to treatment (such as buprenorphine/methadone induction rates) as a secondary metric of success. We acknowledge that keeping people alive is only the first step, and our data reporting needs to better reflect the transition to treatment.
3. On the Public Information Officer (PIO) Request:
My request for a PIO was driven by a need to disseminate rapid, accurate health guidance—whether for respiratory viruses or opioid risks—rather than "spin."
Fiscal Context: However, I defer to the Board of Commissioners regarding the county's financial constraints. If the budget does not allow for this position, my department will continue to rely on existing staff to communicate data as clearly and transparently as possible.
4. Benchmarks for Policy Review:
In public health, we constantly review data. A change in strategy would be clinically indicated if we observe:
-A sustained rise in overdose mortality that outpaces state or regional trends.
-An outbreak of injection-related infections (e.g., endocarditis, HIV clusters).
-Evidence that our services are failing to act as a bridge to primary care or addiction treatment.
I hope this clarifies the medical reasoning behind our current operations while acknowledging the valid questions you have raised regarding data precision.
Below is a modeled good governance reply from an individual Clallam County Commissioner:
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for writing to the Board and Dr. Berry with your specific questions regarding our harm reduction strategies and county expenditures. We appreciate the level of detail in your inquiry, as engaged citizens are essential for holding local government accountable.
You asked four distinct questions. In the interest of transparency, I want to answer them directly:
1. Are syringe returns individually counted or estimated?
To ensure the safety of our staff and adherence to biohazard handling protocols, we do not individually count returned syringes. Instead, we utilize a volume-based estimation method standard in waste management (e.g., a specific gallon container is estimated to hold a specific number of units).
The Reality: We acknowledge that this method provides an estimate rather than a precise inventory. While this protects staff from needle-stick injuries, it does mean our "returned" numbers have a margin of error and should be viewed as broad trends rather than exact audits.
2. What measurable outcomes are tracked to demonstrate effectiveness (e.g., sustained recovery)?
Currently, our primary metrics for Harm Reduction have focused on immediate survival: overdose reversals (Naloxone usage), disease transmission rates (HIV/Hepatitis C), and contacts made.
The Gap: You are correct to point out that we have not historically tracked "sustained recovery rates" (transition from active addiction to long-term sobriety) with the same rigor. This is partly due to the difficulty of tracking individuals across different healthcare systems, but we agree that "survival" should not be the only metric of success. We are currently reviewing how to better integrate recovery transition data into our reporting.
3. Why consider a Public Information Officer (PIO) during a budget deficit?
This is a valid fiscal concern. The intent behind the PIO proposal is to centralize information flow to prevent conflicting data and ensure residents have accurate public health guidance.
Fiscal Responsibility: However, given the current deficit, we must rigorously justify whether this role adds sufficient value to warrant the expense. We are treating this as a proposal, not a finalized decision, and your feedback on prioritizing direct services over administrative overhead is noted and will be part of our budget deliberations.
4. What benchmarks would trigger a policy review?
Our policy should not be static. A review or adjustment is triggered if:
-Overdose fatality rates fail to decrease over a rolling 12-month period relative to state averages.
-Public disorder metrics (sharps litter reports, EMS calls) show a statistically significant increase.
-We fail to meet specific transition-to-treatment targets.
We are currently re-evaluating our strategic plan to ensure these triggers are clearly defined and publicly available.
Thank you again for your advocacy. Public trust is built on clarity, not just messaging, and we hope to keep this dialogue open.
Even If I wasn't Hans Gruber I would be saying hit it again.
The homeless issue has always been looked at through a bureaucratic lens, as in how much bureaucracy can we create off of this issue. The past make=up of these homeless boards just don't want to have the tough conversations that lead away from the bureaucracy.
Its obvious they would have put Jake or I on that board already but they want to stack the deck in favor of bureaucracy.
I once did a public records request to the Washington State Department of Commerce for all "homeless" related grants for the entire agency records keeping schedule which is a time period of 6 years. There were 6,100 some grants related to "homelessness." The amount of funding was astounding, and it all went to a clipboard bureaucracy. Questionnaires at the federal county and city level, and printing of thousands of non-profit brochures. That was and probably still is their "homelessness" strategy.
No hard decisions.. no useable infrastructure. They convinced themselves that the outpatient model and clipboard bureaucracy was the way to go. Basically nothing but govement roster spots year after year. The only solution that will ever come out of these boards and committees will be through the bureaucracy lens. One that fill the blue pages of the phone book and that deals with the problem at bureaucratic armlengths.
That bureaucratic decision to not add beds to Western or Medical lake was the beginning of the current problem. We had facilities' and staff in an inpatient model and we just needed to add on to it. Keep the asylum where an asylum belongs...not in open air.
The remainder of the homeless population needs tough love and a kick in the pants not coddling from an overpaid aloof bureaucrat from a 200 grand a year ivory tower. All that salary for 20 years could have built wonderful facilities with ex Canadian football leaguers ready to keep someone from getting it " strait to the chin" and hitting the back of their head on concrete...Like Richard Madeo.
Clipboard bureacracy is right. So many NGOs have some sort of outreach team. Yet when you compare the "meet us" page to the active addicts on the street the majority of the outreach workers seem more suited for admin jobs than hiking around the county. I imagine most join the low entry level jobs with good intent but they tend to look more like mother figures for street addicts than "peer support."
Its a student loan payback machine. Hire some young kid out of college, show them a video and hand them a clipboard so they can work their way of the blue page ranks. Maybe stack a few chips after the loan is paid off...
I suspect the teaching staff at Peninsula College addiction studies program is out of touch and very outdated. The drugs and technology around trafficking have changed at a rapid speed and they have not kept up. Also locals with minimal sobriety are groomed for entry level jobs as peer support, giving them some basic stability and keeping them indebted to the system via benefits, thus creating loyal pro NGO voters.
They prescribe for results. They have real good alternatives now, but they are not patented so there is no money in it. All the stuff they are on now is part of a loop of drugs that just make more and more money for the patented drugs. This one combo they have to wait an hour to take or it slows the heart down to dangerous levels. So they take another pill to keep that from happening.. Its a potpourri of drugs they have to be on or their a fish out of water. Dude across the way here from me he is clearly on one of those loop treatments. The problem is there aren't any ex-Canadian football leaguers here in the complex. When he is down at the laundry mat he backs off when enough male figures are present. Especially, if he thinks there is a champion of the cause alpha male. To have him live sandwiched among the older and disabled community is not a fit at all. This is something the aloof elites don't see. I am going to say open air asylum and Richard Madeo 1000 times in the spring and 1000 times in the summer. I will not let them forget that out-patient treatment of their loop prescription strategy doesn't work.
Radical taxaholic board commissioners will use homeless drug addicts as an issue to help build the liberal party by hiring more personal.New state law coming that will stop authorities from removing encampments which will just give commissioners more excuses to build more multi million $$$ housing at the taxpayer expense.Derelict roads will get ignored as usual for new housing.Board commissioners will try and get property tax lifted to increase taxes beyond affordability for most.Ozias-french-johnson are not going to change reckless course they deserve no respect and need as much negative feedback as possible until voted out of office.
specifically overdose deaths? how would they know how much narcan is utilized vs left laying unopened in abandoned piles of filth?
if they survive OD w/narcan a few times but die of "natural causes " prematurely due to major organ damage how is that death counted? we find ourseleves discerning died OF vs WITH again
Once again reading about Dr Berry and her belief that harm reduction helps, I just shake my head. Where is the “do no harm”? Their belief in trying to reduce the stigma attached to drug use is literally killing people.
Repeated use of Narcan on the brain can have serious consequences, particularly when it is used to reverse opioid overdoses. While Narcan can reverse the immediate effects of an overdose, it does not prevent all potential brain damage. Opioid overdoses can cause hypoxic or anoxic brain injury, even if the overdose is reversed with Narcan. This is because Narcan works by blocking the opioid receptors in the brain which can lead to a temporary relief of the overdose symptoms. However, it does not address the underlying issues of opioid use disorder or the long-term effects of repeated opioid use on the brain. Hypoxic brain injuries are not uncommon among overdose survivors. These injuries can cause serious and ongoing issues which may include short-term or longer memory loss, temporary paralysis in legs or arms, disorientation and mental confusion, strokes, loss of motor skills, seizures, incontinence, loss of control of eye movement, changes in walking gait, slower reaction times. I believe many of us could attest to seeing some of the examples listed in those who abuse. It is crucial to address the root causes of opioid use disorder and to seek treatment, in patient treatment to reduce the risk of brain damage. While Narcan can be a life saving tool, it should not be used as a substitute and repeated use instead of a long-term treatment plan. I would ask Berry; does she really believe by her continued belief that reducing the stigma of drug use is more important than trying to get these folks off using drugs? Berry and the commissioners just keep throwing dollars at a never-ending problem and creating another job when the money could be used to help people. Just look around at the people who walk like the living dead, those beliefs are harming more people daily and prolongs their eventual demise. Shame on these folks.
Dr. Berry has unfortunately fallen into trying to defend her credibility, as well as the men who surround her doing what men biologically do when they're around women who are attacked, defend them.
In October Dr Berry talked about being invited to speak about how good her program is with other similar state officials and the questions about her here are likely a direct attack on her professional career which she is defending.
Unfortunately I read commissioner Johnson's questions of her the same way I do of his to Wendy Sisk. He asks them, but there's no follow-up. No critical thinking seems to happen to challenge the information being trotted out as fact. After all she's a doctor, right? The deal in facts, do they not?
Why is it that the critical questions come from people who are not within government positions? Why is it that people like Jake or Sarah ask the hard-hitting questions, and not the people who are entrusted to the citizens? There's something wrong with this environment.
The Doctor wants us to think she relies on facts, and she presents factoids, whether true or not; but reality is, she relies on touchy feelie like name-calling us mis-informed and mis-guided. That is a belief system ingrained into her persona; not fact.
Call me a "mis-informed" Luddite, but this situation is ridiculous. Stop the harm reduction crap. It doesn't work. It encourages more users to come to this county; in encourages more using, more trashing of our once-beautiful environment, and more criminal behavior. And as Mr. Worthington has pointed out clearly, sometimes, someone completely innocent, loses his precious life. Berry is a Liar, and anyone involved in this ruse should be held accountable - fired by the Public.
‘Bad news for Seattle’: Curley worried San Francisco drug crackdown will push addicts north Feb 22, 2026
Curley noted San Francisco’s Reset Center would provide people with an addiction three options: GO TO A SHELTER, GET TREATMENT, OR GO TO JAIL Rather than pick from the three solutions in San Francisco, Curley believed THEY’D CHOOSE TO LEAVE FOR SEATTLE, WHERE THE CITY IS MUCH MORE LAX.
“This is good news for San Francisco, bad news for Seattle,” Curley said. “The people in San Francisco who don’t want to go to jail and don’t want to get hassled by the cops will get to Seattle. They’ve heard from other people about Seattle. Seattle is a great place. The drugs are really cheap. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT CHARITIES AND NONPROFITS THAT WILL FEED YOU. YOU CAN SLEEP ON THE STREETS, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND THE COPS WON’T BOTHER YOU. GO TO WHERE IT’S GOOD”
The stop the spread of HIV/hepatitis needle exchanges were taken over by the pro drug use PHRA a long time ago. PHRA is practically a marketing arm for cartels and anarchists.
When we, as a community, make drugs and alcohol easy to obtain we should accept responsibility. When we provide dependency instead recovery, we should accept responsibility. What we cannot do, is make the addict cooperate.
That's why as a society, we have LAWS. Following the LAW is a society's way to make people behave responsibly, for the good of society. Some people argue about taking their freedoms away, etc. Like someone here yesterday argued. Oh, so these drug addicts have the right to defecate and urinate, trash and fornicate all over OUR cities, towns and homes?? Where is our right to have clean cities and towns? Therefore, I disagree with your statements. It is not my responsiblity to clean up their wasted life - it is theirs. We as society can provide ways to assist them; but it IS THEIR responsiblity to follow through. As long as we elect "leaders" to do these things for the majority of us, and citizens to volunteer their time and actions also, if they so choose, it can work. TOUGH LOVE I believe, works the best.
Viewpoint. We elect representatives to enact the laws. We also accept the oversight of our Supreme Court. We can pass laws, but individual rights must be considered. My answer here is to become smarter about enforcement. This goes along with Tough Love. What I am pointing out is we don't seem to be smart enough to not pass laws that are enabling, dangerous, and stupid. No trespassing on private property. No encampments on public property without permission or permit. Start returning to laws that prohibit the sale, transport, and use of life threatening drugs.(i.e. Fentanyl) Hold responsible those who litter, trash, and make public property a toilet. Make bail a requirement when a person breaks the law and is arrested. Write those penalties into the laws. Why not demand our elected officials and our enforcement officials ENFORCE our laws. Why pander to the small group of drug users at the expense of the law abiding majority? We have enough lawyers around that we, as a law abiding society, should be able to write laws that protect the majority, AND are Constitutional. Take a look at "harm reduction" and those who profit from this side business. Who benefits from Sanctuary Cities? Who is funding violent demonstrations? Follow the money trail. I know our representatives can't avoid being stupid, but we voters can stop electing stupid representatives.
Allison Berry ( I refuse to call her a doctor) was at the forefront of harm against citizens (especially children) during the COVID debacle: pro mandates, pro shutdowns, pro jabs (again, for children!), pro censorship… For some reason Berry seems to be on the wrong side of health and reason whenever a health crisis appears in our county. Could that possibly have its roots in her progressive socialist ideology?
Excellent article. Great questions on challenging the statis quo and dogma of our woke county health officer. Future historians looking back on this era will make a lot more sense if you remember that every name is the opposite of what it really is. The antifascists are fascists, the antiracists are racists, the fact-checkers are propagandists, etc.
How about a simple cost/benefit analysis? Would this not be prudent in a county with budget problems? How many addicts are there receiving these harm reduction tools, and what is there percentage of the total county population? How much is the total cost of the harm reduction program, including but not limited to supplies, plus government personnel costs including salaries and benefits, plus any ancillary costs? And then treatment costs? Then we’d know exactly how much this costs the taxpayer per individual. The number would be staggering — and it’s all money that could fund beneficial services like education, etc.
How about disclosing ALL the salaries of those benefiting from the current "Harm Reduction", along with total expenditures for all the efforts made to perpetuate the status quo. I mean ALL the NGO and so called NON-PROFIT salaries.
Seem like a sweet way to launder money, meaning that when the fix is already in - county commissioners on NGO boards spending money on their pet projects with no oversight or fiscal accountability - BOOM! Agenda enacted thru the back door, regardless of the will of the people.
Jake "discredit dissent by labeling it misinformation" is the root issue here. It's not Berry's first rodeo, and she will ride that horse 'til the end.
Conversely you are on foot, literally walking the trails of the suffering learning the ever evolving reality of complex problems that impact every aspect of this county.
Those of us who have overcome our own addictive behaviors and/or lived through it with loved ones tend to learn from our mistakes. Many of us had to live and learn through the other major crisis Berry oversaw, including health impacts of trying to "do the right thing." We can learn from even the most difficult situations and negative experiences. As a homeschool family I am sure you appreciate lifelong learning in any situation.
Married to someone in the music industry for 30+ years now, but more of a lyrics person, I have a song in my head for most situations. When I watch Berry speak, I just hear TheWho belting out "Don't Get Fooled Again.
As a very young woman (decades ago) who unintentionally found herself living with an abusive narcotics trafficker I even learned something from his "business" motto "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on ME." I am ashamed to admit to some of the folks I respect most in this county that I once voted for some of those currently in office- once but not twice. There are very few persons who claim to be independent whom I believe. It is not unreasonable for someone who only knows me casually to call me a cycnic, skeptic or critic- life lessons made me that way. But I trust you, Jake, because you are walking the walk, willing to learn with each step, and bringing facts and data to support what you learn.
Perhaps we can refer to Dr. Berry as " Dr. Strawberry."
Her examples of misinformation in the community on her Feb. 17th presentation absolutely made critics of harm reduction out to be sadly misinformed.
Here is an AI explanation of a " strawman argument"
AI
A straw man argument is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone misrepresents or distorts an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. The person then attacks the distorted version (the "straw man") and claims to have defeated the opponent's actual position, while in reality, the original argument remains unaddressed.
Wikipedia
How It Works
The fallacy gets its name from the idea of a scarecrow or military training dummy, which is a weak, inanimate opponent that is easy to knock down. The general structure is as follows:
Microsoft
Person A states position X.
Person B describes a distorted version of position X, called position Y (the straw man). This often involves exaggeration, oversimplification, or taking statements out of context.
Person B argues against and refutes position Y.
Person B claims that position X has been refuted, when in fact only the misrepresented version was attacked.
Scribbr
Common Examples
Straw man arguments are frequently seen in political debates, media, and everyday conversations.
Example 1: Security Measures
Person A: "I think we should add more security cameras to our building because of recent thefts".
Person B: "So you're saying you don't trust any of your neighbors?" (This misrepresents Person A's focus on crime prevention as a statement about trusting neighbors).
Example 2: Education Funding
Person A: "I think we should allocate more money toward the school's arts program".
Person B: "I disagree because I don't think we should put all of our money into art and neglect important subjects like math and science" (Person A never suggested putting all the money into the arts program).
Example 3: Dietary Choices
Person A: "I'm considering reducing my meat consumption for health reasons".
Person B: "So you want everyone to stop eating meat entirely, which is ridiculous" (Person B exaggerates "reducing" into "stopping entirely" for all people).
SC, Dr. "Strawberry" - that is funny. Even better would be to appoint a new Health Director, but the like -minded Board of Health holds that responsibility.
Similar to our area "pandemic" management under Dr. Berry, harm reduction was, is and will continue to be a failure. Caring and compassion are laudable traits, but they are proven to be inadequate tools to treat drug addiction. Most all of us admire nature, ignoring what nature does for a deer with a broken leg. Despite any and all efforts we are all destined to lose the life in our bodies. Further, we can never all be the same. So how much should we invest in avoiding inevitability ? I fall on the tough love side. First; being involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs must become lethal; not a slap on the wrist. Victims cannot become addicts, if there are no addictive drugs available. Second; professional counseling to determine why the addicted do not want their lives. That determination places the addict either with the drug traffickers or seizing a societal offered recovery option. Second offenders become deer with broken legs.
Thinking along the same lines Jen. A user is going to use with a clean needle, a dirty needle, a shared needle or broken needle. The user must get that drug into a vein!!! Arm, between the toes, in the anus, in the waist, just shoot it up!
The “market” for intravenous injected drugs in Clallam County is a business model El Chapo would be proud of. The availability, the locations, the quantity, the quality, the syringes and a customer base that will purchase your product no matter what the price. Bang for the buck. Man-o-man have “they” got this County figured out.
Good Governance Daily Proverb:
When leaders defend their data but dismiss what citizens can see, the methodology — not the public — needs review.
Behavioral Health Advisory Board Meeting - March 10, 2026, 3 pm
Board of Health Meeting - March 17, 2026, 1:30 pm
What we’re noticing isn’t just political tension — it’s a methodological tension.
Public health is built on a very clear framework:
1. Observe the environment
2. Gather quantitative data
3. Compare with qualitative lived experience
4. Identify bias and confounders
Adjust intervention: If observable environmental indicators (needle litter, open-air use, encampment growth, public disorder) are worsening while internal program metrics show success, that is not automatically proof of failure — but it is a signal to interrogate the measurement system.
That’s where the real governance irony lives. You can have:
1. More syringes “returned” than distributed (program metric)
2. Increased visible drug use and public disorder (environmental indicator)
Both can be true at the same time if:
1. Return counts rely on estimation rather than direct counts (measurement inflation risk).
2. Syringe exchange reduces disease transmission but does not reduce use frequency.
3. Drug supply potency (fentanyl/meth mix) increases consumption intensity.
4. Population inflow shifts (mobility effects).
5. Harm reduction stabilizes users without transitioning them into recovery.
But here is the governance gap: If Dr. Berry (Public Health Officer) publicly dismisses environmental observation as “misinformation,” "She/They" (Noted on Dr. Berry's Zoom title, October 21, 2025, Clallam County Board of Health meeting) is ignoring a foundational public health principle — community-level observational data is still data.
In epidemiology, that’s called triangulation:
1. Surveillance data
2. Clinical data
3. Environmental observation
4. Community report
When one leg of the triangle is discounted, bias risk increases.
I agree. What we also find is there are many who choose Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics to cover their predetermined outcome(s). Research is only valuable when the researcher allows the factual results to stand, rather than modify them to suit their purposes.
Dr Berry clearly has a communication problem, but its the kind you get from someone who's spent too many years trying to explain basic public-health math to people who think anecdotes are data and data is a conspiracy. At some point even the calmest epidemiologisy starts sounding short, not because the work is wrong, but because the noise around it is just so loud. The whole “environmental observation” routine would make more sense if anyone were actually doing environmental observation instead of waving around anecdotes like they’re lab results. Public health uses triangulation to catch bias, not to elevate every scanner blip and sidewalk story into gospel. So lecturing the epidemiologist about epidemiology while treating loose anecdotes as data, starts to feel a bit off. If you want to talk evidence, talk evidence. If you want to tell stories, call it storytelling. Mixing the two just muddies the water and then blames the water for being muddy.
@powdermonkey, I’m not elevating anecdotes over epidemiology. I’m asking whether environmental indicators are being systematically measured alongside surveillance metrics.
If needle litter density, encampment growth, public sanitation impacts, and open-use complaints are increasing, they are measurable conditions—not just stories. If they aren’t being tracked formally, that’s a gap worth addressing. If they are being tracked, they should be disclosed transparently.
Public health metrics and civic condition metrics are not identical. When they move in different directions, the responsible response isn’t dismissal — it’s reconciliation.
That’s not anti-science. It’s asking for a full-scope measurement.
Community Environmental Observation Initiative: If residents believe environmental conditions such as needle litter, encampment density, sanitation impacts, or open-use activity are increasing, the most constructive response is not argument — it is documentation.
Public health decisions rely on structured data. If certain environmental indicators are not currently being tracked longitudinally or published in a dashboard format, citizens can contribute by documenting observations systematically and submitting them through official county channels.
This is not about replacing epidemiology with anecdotes.
It is about ensuring that observable environmental conditions are recorded consistently and measured so they can be evaluated alongside overdose statistics, treatment data, and disease surveillance metrics.
Residents who wish to participate should:
1. Record date, time, and precise location.
2. Quantify observations where possible (e.g., approximate count of visible syringes, number of tents, proximity to waterways).
3. Avoid speculation about causes or individuals.
4. Submit reports through official county reporting systems or public comment processes.
5. Retain copies to establish longitudinal patterns if conditions persist.
If multiple residents document similar conditions over time using consistent criteria, that becomes structured environmental data — not anecdote.
The goal is not to undermine public health professionals.
The goal is to strengthen the measurement framework by ensuring all relevant indicators are visible and transparent.
Durable policy requires full-scope data.
Citizen Environmental Condition Documentation Template: (For submission to Clallam County Commissioners, Health & Human Services, and Board of Health)
Subject Line: Environmental Condition Documentation – [Location] – [Date]
Dear [Clerk of the Board / Commissioners / Health & Human Services],
I am submitting this documentation to formally record observable environmental conditions related to public health and safety in Clallam County.
This submission is intended to support systematic data collection and longitudinal tracking.
1. Location
Specific Address or Cross Streets:
GPS Coordinates (if available):
Jurisdiction (City / County / Unincorporated):
2. Date and Time Observed
Date:
Time:
Frequency (One-time / Ongoing / Recurring):
3. Category of Observation (Check All That Apply)
☐ Needle litter (visible syringes or sharps)
☐ Encampment presence or expansion
☐ Human waste/sanitation concerns
☐ Open-air drug use observed
☐ Public safety hazard (fire risk, debris, blocked access)
☐ Environmental degradation (waterway proximity, waste runoff)
4. Quantifiable Description
Please provide measurable detail where possible:
• Approximate number of visible syringes:
• Approximate size or growth of encampment (number of tents/structures):
• Estimated distance from waterway or public facility:
• Duration condition has been present (if known):
Attach photographs if available.
5. Public Health Impact Concern
Describe observable impact only (avoid speculation):
Example:
“Visible syringes within 20 feet of a public trail used by children.”
“Accumulation of waste materials adjacent to Tumwater Creek.”
“Repeated open-use activity during daytime hours in the downtown corridor.”
6. Prior Reporting (if applicable)
Has this condition been previously reported?
If yes, to whom and when?
7. Requested Action
☐ Documentation in the county tracking system
☐ Site inspection
☐ Response clarification
☐ Inclusion in public reporting dashboard
Closing
I am submitting this report in the interest of transparent public health tracking and evidence-based policy review.
Please confirm receipt and advise whether this documentation will be incorporated into any formal environmental health metrics or reporting system.
Respectfully,
Name
Contact Information
I wonder if government grant money affects the results of "objective science projects".
Great question! Each grant has a nofo-notice of funding opportunity which provides the specific requirements etc. So, it depends. Which grant funding are you thinking of?
I see powdermonkey has spent time in room 101 and now knows two plus two is not four.
I would enjoy watching more debates on this site. Competition strengthens the tendons.
Powdermonkey, if things were really so blissful in our county, why are the majority of residents afraid of these tents, tarps, trash cities that have sprung up everywhere accompanied by dangerous needles, human waste, trash, pathogens, frightening behaviors from individuals high on drugs. People in PA, Sequim, et al are begging for help against this blatant disregard of residents’s safety and peace of mind that once was a beautiful and safe city. Confronted now with human waste on sidewalks, trashing of once lovely environment, corners, streets, even our breezeway full of trash and pathogens. Normal people are rightly disgusted and fearful. Rational decisions to solve the drug and safety issue are no where to be found.
Those who claim lack of perception and misunderstanding no doubt do not live in our towns. They are paid enough to live outside the pathetic trash and behaviors they claim are improving because of their magnanimous gifts. The claim that removing the trash is “ stealing” is laughable and unhinged.
Powdermonkey spent time in room 101 learning two plus two is not four when referring to Dr. Berry and public-health math.
What EXACTLY is Jake Seeger's solution? Better record keeping?
Billy, I sent this to another concerned citizen who asked me the same question:
Addressing these issues is a top priority for me, and I firmly believe we have the ability at the local level to make meaningful change.
Current policies embraced by city and county leadership have made Clallam County a path of least resistance for homelessness and substance abuse. That must change.
This is how I will lead. I will work collaboratively with city officials, port leadership, and law enforcement to implement the following:
1. End outdoor living on public land by revising ordinances where necessary and consistently enforcing existing laws.
2. Prioritize local housing resources for individuals who are currently residing in Clallam County.
3. Strengthen shelter policies and standards to ensure our services are attractive and supportive for those transitioning from outdoor living.
4. Expand transitional shelter capacity by prioritizing lower-cost, scalable options rather than focusing primarily on cost-prohibitive permanent supportive housing.
5. Reduce cash flow that fuels addiction through clear anti-panhandling signage and public education campaigns.
6. Redirect funding from drug-use supplies to treatment programs that deliver measurable, outcome-based results.
7. Measure success by outcomes, not inputs — tracking how many individuals transition from addiction to sobriety, and from homelessness and dependency to stable, self-sufficient lives.
I am committed to accountability, collaboration, and results that improve safety, economic growth, and quality of life for our entire community.
Jake
The County needs tough love for the 'campers'. Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on condos with no transition opportunity is not a solution. We need to bring jobs to CC. The further this County slips into decline will further degrade our image and turn away potential investment. Take 10 'campers' out of the forest and place them in comfy condos and the word will spread and we'll have 20 more 'campers' looking for their comfy condo. All we do in CC is make it convenient to be a drug addict. And where does the cash come from to fund the addiction? Breaking into cars, etc... CC cannot FIX the ADDICTION CRISIS. It is a national problem. I don't hear from you that you want to move the problem from CC but rather I interpret your words as doing a better job of measuring the success of spent dollars and further providing a welcome mat in the form of shelter for the 'campers'. Please refute this if you have a tougher stance that goes beyond measuring, counting, visual presentations... Seen 'em...
The above steps will still leave individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction with choices: move in with friends or family, take advantage of shelter options locally or find another county that welcomes open drug use and outdoor living. Right now Clallam County is that place. If local officials will choose to lead boldly, we can make sure that Clallam is no longer the place of least resistance for homelessness and substance abuse.
What ARE YOUR bold plans to make CC a place of least resistance for homelessness and drug addicts? I mean specifics!
I appreciate your hard-nosed position, because it's about where I am with the entire homeless drug-addicted issue, but the largesse of society won't tolerate that unfortunately. People with our philosophy, imo, are the minority. As such I'm left with trying to figure out what's the best I can hope for without having a coronary. There will never be anyone who can effectuate what we want to see, and more critically is that to turn this ship around cannot be done overnight for myriad reasons that even a county commissioner cannot control.
To engage Jake in a forum where critical understanding is needed for your questions, and his responses, is imo not the place. Far too many nuances can be missed. I've read and heard other responses from Jake he didn't include here because that's how forums go.
The minority the noisy screechy old white hairs with signs. They just make the most noise.
I understand your frustration, but please be aware plenty of us old, white menopausal women are angry at the same things as you
Until someone figures out the trick of how to convert the majority non noisy types into action we're going to be subjugated to these people.
Jake, does it make any since that the
(Picked up 4PA)
used syringe numbers far exceeded the numbers given out in Harm Reduction /drug
ready kits.
Who is creeping into Clallam County and dumping their used needles? Who did it!
Excuse us for not buying what some people use as statistical evidence.
The easy way: stop harm reduction with its supplies.. You do see how completely mind numbing this program is. No I dont think that used needles close to tents means they are still being used.
The drugs aren’t legal
The tents are not legal
The areas becoming encampments have not been given up by county or parks so not legal/trespass.
Leaving any and all garbage on publicly streets, allies, private businesses property, is not legal.
I dream of a day I drive a monster rig with a huge front loader, through town scraping up the drug village. Any one chased from their tent can hop on the bus behind my shovel truck.
Jennifer you are right . We just need to get a large number of .
citizens behind “GIVE SEQUIM BACK”
Hi, Susan! I agree. The syringe counts do not make sense. The boldness of Berry to claim such a large difference in syringes collected without actually counting them displays a big problem: Questionable data and claims coming out of BOH and HHS have eroded public trust.
We need to restore common sense and a commitment to verifiable, factual data to our local government departments and agencies. Our focus should be on pursuing and measuring outcomes that our community is clearly demanding rather than relying on metrics that primarily sustain funding streams for departmental obsessions and NGOs.
Jake is a volunteer with 4PA. He gets his hands involved along with getting to know those who have and are suffering from drug addiction. Jake uses his experiences and real life conversations with the drug addicted and homeless to ask the right questions to formulate statics to counter Dr. Berry's reports. In other words, Jake sees the real problems and acts in a more productive way to deliver improved outcomes.
Do you think Berry could stoop to pick up a "dirty" needle, much less participate in an accurate count, or visit a street encampment, or maybe read a book that counters her own narrative, like with fact from addicts themselves? Sorry for the run on, I AM PISSED OFF.
Many of us share your frustration, Eric.
At $100,000+ a year, Berry could afford to hire a "needle picker-upper" to accompany her on field research" Personally, I think this whole "program" is Bullshit. I'm pissed off too!
I'm sure it is much more than that, Denise. 90,000 syringes alone, not including other drug-use supplies...those syringes are pricey. Who wants to do a PRR and find out exactly what the county pays for syringes, pipes, roofing kits, foil, etc?
Hey, @JakeSeegers, where were your gloves when you were doing the needle-in-the-bottle experiment?
Denise this is where we disagree for really the first time. 4PA is wonderful, yes. But cleaning up the mess will only move the mess elsewhere and then back to where it started. We need to rid CC of these people plain and simple. At the moment CC has NO alternative for them. No jobs for these people. We need real jobs where CC CAN say, look, clean up, straighten up, we have an alternative for you. CC does NOT have that today. Making CC a happy place to get high with no future is no future.
Billy,
Many folks that I talk to outside are not from here. I ask them where they would go if they could no longer live outside. Many of them say that they would leave the county.
Actually Billy, I agree with you. I just find the fist-pounding insistence odd. I like your idea of a formal debate because those are always good and gives the candidates more time to explain their POVs and stances. Jake is informally conducting a debate with the Commissioners, either individually or collectively, via public comments at meetings. He's there on our behalf.
Great, because of the 29,000 citizens of CC 10 are online watching?
"Rid" our county by changing the procedure of "Harm Reduction" to "Sobriety".
Billy So true. Why get clean? All successful rehabbed addicts wanted better lives for themselves, their children, their families. If Clallam County can’t provide good foundations in which to live affordable & a stable community then addicts trying to get clean are fighting an uphill battle and will reoffend & return to the streets. Drug addicts who have good jobs, cars, houses, families, & children reoffend because something stresses them & our society has encouraged many ways to self medicate to cope. The addiction is a dealer away, a store away, a corner away……a needle away, a boof kit away….like candy! Jake did the hard numbers part & told us exactly what his plan is moving forward & why what we are currently doing is not working well enough. Thank you for sharing & laying all the real numbers & comparisons easy to see & understand with no smoke & mirrors. It’s what this voter has been waiting for! It is past time for change, it is high time we get what we are paying $118K a year for, that doesn’t include all the wasted money going to replicated NGO’s and many other political county causes.
Thanks, Denise(:
Put yourself in the shoes of someone representing a Fortune 500 company. You see absolute natural beauty spoiled by homelessness and a drug culture. We have the space for a company to build but a workforce of what? CC is focusing on Jamestown. There you'll always be nothing more than a wage slave with no future beyond carrying drinks on a tray to a tourist or digging trenches. We need a real future. Clock is ticking.
Yes, it is sad to see what really spoils natural beauty. There is a lot of money pouring in thru HHS. That's where the fraud is being heavily investigated and found. This rooting out of all the bad guys will take time, because of the depth of corruption. Look at Jake as one torch that lights another to be passed onto another, etc. Pretty soon, you'll have enough light to help everyone. Gotta match?
It's not just the natural beauty being spoiled. It's the pure pollution of human sewage flowing into our waterways from these encampments. Jake has not impressed me yet as being that torch.
What does a "torch" look like?
What I have learned is that Callam County, over decades, has outsourced business to the Jamestown tribe, and has trouble attracting manufacturing or other business for a variety of reasons that cannot be reversed with the flip of a switch. That proverbial clock has been ticking for a long time making the reality of reversing those policies a long-term proposition. A single Commissioner, imo, cannot turn a ship around by unilateral actions.
Flip of a switch, no, flip the elected officials, make some sensible laws and enforce them, then we at least have something positive to show. Clocks ticking down quickly to that clock never getting wound up in our lifetimes.
Flip of the switch refers to how fast change can occur. Flipping elected officials, at a minimum means that with very few people who are willing to stand up and take on these roles we are left to work with who will. In that sense it is clear to me that the current three commissioners are incapable of doing so. That leaves us with the reality that we will now need to hope and trust that a new person can make some change. As such Jake is that person. I don't see any other options.
Jake is also not a one-person solution. It takes people like you and me to do more than post comments. That's not to say that we don't have valid points or perspectives, but I also know that Jake listens to the comments and learns just as any good leader would learn from other people's good ideas. There's absolutely no way I would ever want a leader to believe that they have the only solutions and won't listen to others.
SOLUTION: Policy can be very simple. Offer our 'campers' and drug addicted a one way ticket to Seattle on a chartered bus and give them $100. Grace period. After that, law dictates they are arrested and handcuffed and put on a chartered bus to Seattle. Heck give 'em boof kits and needles, we won't need the supply. Get serious, get tough, don't make addiction a publicly funded 'choice' in CC.
"don't make addiction a publicly funded 'choice' in CC." - Good point.
@BillyTWilson, as a private citizen, you’re free to offer someone a bus ticket or financial help if they voluntarily accept it. That’s individual assistance.
Where government is different is in what it can lawfully do. Arresting and forcibly relocating people would not survive constitutional scrutiny. Courts have made clear that criminalizing homelessness when adequate shelter is unavailable is unconstitutional (Martin v. City of Boise, 920 F.3d 584 (9th Cir. 2019)), and forced relocation without due process would violate the Fourteenth Amendment. Policies that function as banishment have repeatedly been struck down. The county would face immediate legal challenge — and significant liability — at taxpayer expense.
That said, you’re right about one thing: local policy does shape incentives.
We are not required to design policies that unintentionally sustain long-term outdoor living. Lawful tools do exist, including:
• Enforcing public camping restrictions when adequate shelter capacity exists
• Structuring shelter standards around accountability and engagement
• Prioritizing residency in housing programs where legally permissible
• Tying funding to measurable outcomes like treatment entry and stabilization
• Aligning economic development with workforce re-entry pathways
The real policy question isn’t “bus people out.” It’s this:
What combination of enforcement, treatment, shelter capacity, and economic opportunity reduces visible disorder while remaining legally defensible?
If we want durable change, it has to both work in practice and withstand legal review. Tough rhetoric is easy. Durable policy is harder — but that’s the work.
Thank you for the reminder, Dr. Sarah, that private citizens are free to offer their own time and money to help the homeless and drug addicts. It’s not always a ‘we’ thing; when I want something done I have to do it myself, especially if I want it done the right way. LOL.
Dr. Sarah I am a big fan. Who would provide honest data from any public review?
The League of Women Voters did not reply to Friday's questions about their role in the Conservation District election. Here is today's email:
Dear Commissioners and Dr. Berry,
I have a few questions I’d appreciate your clarity on: Can you explain how syringe returns are counted and whether they are individually verified versus estimated; what measurable outcomes (such as sustained recovery rates) the county is tracking to demonstrate the effectiveness of the current harm reduction strategy; why consideration is being given to adding a Public Information Officer when we are in a pattern of budget deficits; and what specific benchmarks or conditions would prompt a policy review or adjustment? I ask because transparency around data, counting methods, and outcome measures will help the community better understand and evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs.
Below is a model of a good governance reply by a county public health officer:
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for your questions regarding the specific methodologies and data practices within the Health and Human Services department. As the Public Health Officer, I want to provide the clinical and operational context for the figures we present to the Board.
1. On Syringe Counting Methodology:
You asked if returns are individually verified. They are not.
The Operational Reality: We adhere to strict OSHA and biohazard safety protocols, which discourage staff from manually handling used injection equipment to prevent needle-stick injuries and disease transmission.
The Limitation: Consequently, we use a standard "volume-to-unit" estimation formula based on container size. While this is the industry standard for biohazard disposal, you are correct that it produces an estimate, not an audited inventory. It is possible for these numbers to vary based on how efficiently containers are packed. We use these numbers to track broad utilization trends, but they should not be interpreted as a precise accounting of every single unit distributed versus returned.
2. On Measuring "Success" (Survival vs. Recovery):
From an epidemiological standpoint, my primary mandate is to prevent immediate mortality (overdose deaths) and communicable disease outbreaks (HIV/Hepatitis C).
The Distinction: We have historically tracked "lives saved" (overdose reversals) rather than "lives changed" (long-term recovery).
The Pivot: However, I agree that survival is the baseline, not the ceiling. We are currently exploring ways to better track referrals to treatment (such as buprenorphine/methadone induction rates) as a secondary metric of success. We acknowledge that keeping people alive is only the first step, and our data reporting needs to better reflect the transition to treatment.
3. On the Public Information Officer (PIO) Request:
My request for a PIO was driven by a need to disseminate rapid, accurate health guidance—whether for respiratory viruses or opioid risks—rather than "spin."
Fiscal Context: However, I defer to the Board of Commissioners regarding the county's financial constraints. If the budget does not allow for this position, my department will continue to rely on existing staff to communicate data as clearly and transparently as possible.
4. Benchmarks for Policy Review:
In public health, we constantly review data. A change in strategy would be clinically indicated if we observe:
-A sustained rise in overdose mortality that outpaces state or regional trends.
-An outbreak of injection-related infections (e.g., endocarditis, HIV clusters).
-Evidence that our services are failing to act as a bridge to primary care or addiction treatment.
I hope this clarifies the medical reasoning behind our current operations while acknowledging the valid questions you have raised regarding data precision.
Sincerely,
Appointed Public Health Officer
Clallam County Board of Health
Below is a modeled good governance reply from an individual Clallam County Commissioner:
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for writing to the Board and Dr. Berry with your specific questions regarding our harm reduction strategies and county expenditures. We appreciate the level of detail in your inquiry, as engaged citizens are essential for holding local government accountable.
You asked four distinct questions. In the interest of transparency, I want to answer them directly:
1. Are syringe returns individually counted or estimated?
To ensure the safety of our staff and adherence to biohazard handling protocols, we do not individually count returned syringes. Instead, we utilize a volume-based estimation method standard in waste management (e.g., a specific gallon container is estimated to hold a specific number of units).
The Reality: We acknowledge that this method provides an estimate rather than a precise inventory. While this protects staff from needle-stick injuries, it does mean our "returned" numbers have a margin of error and should be viewed as broad trends rather than exact audits.
2. What measurable outcomes are tracked to demonstrate effectiveness (e.g., sustained recovery)?
Currently, our primary metrics for Harm Reduction have focused on immediate survival: overdose reversals (Naloxone usage), disease transmission rates (HIV/Hepatitis C), and contacts made.
The Gap: You are correct to point out that we have not historically tracked "sustained recovery rates" (transition from active addiction to long-term sobriety) with the same rigor. This is partly due to the difficulty of tracking individuals across different healthcare systems, but we agree that "survival" should not be the only metric of success. We are currently reviewing how to better integrate recovery transition data into our reporting.
3. Why consider a Public Information Officer (PIO) during a budget deficit?
This is a valid fiscal concern. The intent behind the PIO proposal is to centralize information flow to prevent conflicting data and ensure residents have accurate public health guidance.
Fiscal Responsibility: However, given the current deficit, we must rigorously justify whether this role adds sufficient value to warrant the expense. We are treating this as a proposal, not a finalized decision, and your feedback on prioritizing direct services over administrative overhead is noted and will be part of our budget deliberations.
4. What benchmarks would trigger a policy review?
Our policy should not be static. A review or adjustment is triggered if:
-Overdose fatality rates fail to decrease over a rolling 12-month period relative to state averages.
-Public disorder metrics (sharps litter reports, EMS calls) show a statistically significant increase.
-We fail to meet specific transition-to-treatment targets.
We are currently re-evaluating our strategic plan to ensure these triggers are clearly defined and publicly available.
Thank you again for your advocacy. Public trust is built on clarity, not just messaging, and we hope to keep this dialogue open.
Sincerely,
Commissioner
Clallam County Board of Commissioners
Even If I wasn't Hans Gruber I would be saying hit it again.
The homeless issue has always been looked at through a bureaucratic lens, as in how much bureaucracy can we create off of this issue. The past make=up of these homeless boards just don't want to have the tough conversations that lead away from the bureaucracy.
Its obvious they would have put Jake or I on that board already but they want to stack the deck in favor of bureaucracy.
I once did a public records request to the Washington State Department of Commerce for all "homeless" related grants for the entire agency records keeping schedule which is a time period of 6 years. There were 6,100 some grants related to "homelessness." The amount of funding was astounding, and it all went to a clipboard bureaucracy. Questionnaires at the federal county and city level, and printing of thousands of non-profit brochures. That was and probably still is their "homelessness" strategy.
No hard decisions.. no useable infrastructure. They convinced themselves that the outpatient model and clipboard bureaucracy was the way to go. Basically nothing but govement roster spots year after year. The only solution that will ever come out of these boards and committees will be through the bureaucracy lens. One that fill the blue pages of the phone book and that deals with the problem at bureaucratic armlengths.
That bureaucratic decision to not add beds to Western or Medical lake was the beginning of the current problem. We had facilities' and staff in an inpatient model and we just needed to add on to it. Keep the asylum where an asylum belongs...not in open air.
The remainder of the homeless population needs tough love and a kick in the pants not coddling from an overpaid aloof bureaucrat from a 200 grand a year ivory tower. All that salary for 20 years could have built wonderful facilities with ex Canadian football leaguers ready to keep someone from getting it " strait to the chin" and hitting the back of their head on concrete...Like Richard Madeo.
Clipboard bureacracy is right. So many NGOs have some sort of outreach team. Yet when you compare the "meet us" page to the active addicts on the street the majority of the outreach workers seem more suited for admin jobs than hiking around the county. I imagine most join the low entry level jobs with good intent but they tend to look more like mother figures for street addicts than "peer support."
Its a student loan payback machine. Hire some young kid out of college, show them a video and hand them a clipboard so they can work their way of the blue page ranks. Maybe stack a few chips after the loan is paid off...
I suspect the teaching staff at Peninsula College addiction studies program is out of touch and very outdated. The drugs and technology around trafficking have changed at a rapid speed and they have not kept up. Also locals with minimal sobriety are groomed for entry level jobs as peer support, giving them some basic stability and keeping them indebted to the system via benefits, thus creating loyal pro NGO voters.
They prescribe for results. They have real good alternatives now, but they are not patented so there is no money in it. All the stuff they are on now is part of a loop of drugs that just make more and more money for the patented drugs. This one combo they have to wait an hour to take or it slows the heart down to dangerous levels. So they take another pill to keep that from happening.. Its a potpourri of drugs they have to be on or their a fish out of water. Dude across the way here from me he is clearly on one of those loop treatments. The problem is there aren't any ex-Canadian football leaguers here in the complex. When he is down at the laundry mat he backs off when enough male figures are present. Especially, if he thinks there is a champion of the cause alpha male. To have him live sandwiched among the older and disabled community is not a fit at all. This is something the aloof elites don't see. I am going to say open air asylum and Richard Madeo 1000 times in the spring and 1000 times in the summer. I will not let them forget that out-patient treatment of their loop prescription strategy doesn't work.
These are none producing gov. jobs a big part of socialism.
John has solutions.
Very well stated, thank you.
Well said, thank you.
John Worthington I agreed with the decision Hans Gruber made. Bruce Willace tried to warn them
Radical taxaholic board commissioners will use homeless drug addicts as an issue to help build the liberal party by hiring more personal.New state law coming that will stop authorities from removing encampments which will just give commissioners more excuses to build more multi million $$$ housing at the taxpayer expense.Derelict roads will get ignored as usual for new housing.Board commissioners will try and get property tax lifted to increase taxes beyond affordability for most.Ozias-french-johnson are not going to change reckless course they deserve no respect and need as much negative feedback as possible until voted out of office.
that bill failed but I expect it to return next time, this county is dependent on NGO grift jobs
Sent today
Clallam County Commissioners and Administrator
You did not answer last week, so I ask you again for your
thoughts on Point 1 of the plan. Do you believe breaking the rules of society
should have consequences? Do you believe that MAT, harm reduction, and housing
first have created a significant impact in reducing addiction and homelessness
in our county? Do you believe we are, as a community, are receiving an
equitable return on investment from the current programs? Do you believe that
the tenets of Point 1 offer a more positive outcome than have currently been seen?
Dr Berry states
that it is nearly impossible to get sober on the streets. I agree. Can you provide data showing current “Harm
Reduction” program successes in getting people sober and off the streets? She also states the relevance of counting
needle pick up, or theft, in calculating the success of “Harm Reduction” efforts.
Finally, what is the number of deaths
that have been prevented through the administer of naloxone?
Thank you for your response
Eric Fehrmann
Good work, Eric.
specifically overdose deaths? how would they know how much narcan is utilized vs left laying unopened in abandoned piles of filth?
if they survive OD w/narcan a few times but die of "natural causes " prematurely due to major organ damage how is that death counted? we find ourseleves discerning died OF vs WITH again
AGAIN and again...
Just looking for some data on success? How do they define success? Certainly not by numbers of those becoming sober.
Once again reading about Dr Berry and her belief that harm reduction helps, I just shake my head. Where is the “do no harm”? Their belief in trying to reduce the stigma attached to drug use is literally killing people.
Repeated use of Narcan on the brain can have serious consequences, particularly when it is used to reverse opioid overdoses. While Narcan can reverse the immediate effects of an overdose, it does not prevent all potential brain damage. Opioid overdoses can cause hypoxic or anoxic brain injury, even if the overdose is reversed with Narcan. This is because Narcan works by blocking the opioid receptors in the brain which can lead to a temporary relief of the overdose symptoms. However, it does not address the underlying issues of opioid use disorder or the long-term effects of repeated opioid use on the brain. Hypoxic brain injuries are not uncommon among overdose survivors. These injuries can cause serious and ongoing issues which may include short-term or longer memory loss, temporary paralysis in legs or arms, disorientation and mental confusion, strokes, loss of motor skills, seizures, incontinence, loss of control of eye movement, changes in walking gait, slower reaction times. I believe many of us could attest to seeing some of the examples listed in those who abuse. It is crucial to address the root causes of opioid use disorder and to seek treatment, in patient treatment to reduce the risk of brain damage. While Narcan can be a life saving tool, it should not be used as a substitute and repeated use instead of a long-term treatment plan. I would ask Berry; does she really believe by her continued belief that reducing the stigma of drug use is more important than trying to get these folks off using drugs? Berry and the commissioners just keep throwing dollars at a never-ending problem and creating another job when the money could be used to help people. Just look around at the people who walk like the living dead, those beliefs are harming more people daily and prolongs their eventual demise. Shame on these folks.
"Shame on these folks." Well, said, CAS.
Dr. Berry has unfortunately fallen into trying to defend her credibility, as well as the men who surround her doing what men biologically do when they're around women who are attacked, defend them.
In October Dr Berry talked about being invited to speak about how good her program is with other similar state officials and the questions about her here are likely a direct attack on her professional career which she is defending.
Unfortunately I read commissioner Johnson's questions of her the same way I do of his to Wendy Sisk. He asks them, but there's no follow-up. No critical thinking seems to happen to challenge the information being trotted out as fact. After all she's a doctor, right? The deal in facts, do they not?
Why is it that the critical questions come from people who are not within government positions? Why is it that people like Jake or Sarah ask the hard-hitting questions, and not the people who are entrusted to the citizens? There's something wrong with this environment.
The Doctor wants us to think she relies on facts, and she presents factoids, whether true or not; but reality is, she relies on touchy feelie like name-calling us mis-informed and mis-guided. That is a belief system ingrained into her persona; not fact.
Not concerned nor capable of performing the duties of her job description.
It seems to be the theme of why people run for elected positions. It's all about Maslow, self-actualization vs. fulfilling a civic duty.
Yeah, I guess they don't have much self-esteem. Never challenged to reach.
Call me a "mis-informed" Luddite, but this situation is ridiculous. Stop the harm reduction crap. It doesn't work. It encourages more users to come to this county; in encourages more using, more trashing of our once-beautiful environment, and more criminal behavior. And as Mr. Worthington has pointed out clearly, sometimes, someone completely innocent, loses his precious life. Berry is a Liar, and anyone involved in this ruse should be held accountable - fired by the Public.
ABeetle
https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/seattle-drug-addicts-2/4206384
LIKE MOTHS TO A CANDLE: WATCH OUT HERE THEY COME
‘Bad news for Seattle’: Curley worried San Francisco drug crackdown will push addicts north Feb 22, 2026
Curley noted San Francisco’s Reset Center would provide people with an addiction three options: GO TO A SHELTER, GET TREATMENT, OR GO TO JAIL Rather than pick from the three solutions in San Francisco, Curley believed THEY’D CHOOSE TO LEAVE FOR SEATTLE, WHERE THE CITY IS MUCH MORE LAX.
“This is good news for San Francisco, bad news for Seattle,” Curley said. “The people in San Francisco who don’t want to go to jail and don’t want to get hassled by the cops will get to Seattle. They’ve heard from other people about Seattle. Seattle is a great place. The drugs are really cheap. THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT CHARITIES AND NONPROFITS THAT WILL FEED YOU. YOU CAN SLEEP ON THE STREETS, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND THE COPS WON’T BOTHER YOU. GO TO WHERE IT’S GOOD”
screaming right now...!
The stop the spread of HIV/hepatitis needle exchanges were taken over by the pro drug use PHRA a long time ago. PHRA is practically a marketing arm for cartels and anarchists.
When we, as a community, make drugs and alcohol easy to obtain we should accept responsibility. When we provide dependency instead recovery, we should accept responsibility. What we cannot do, is make the addict cooperate.
That's why as a society, we have LAWS. Following the LAW is a society's way to make people behave responsibly, for the good of society. Some people argue about taking their freedoms away, etc. Like someone here yesterday argued. Oh, so these drug addicts have the right to defecate and urinate, trash and fornicate all over OUR cities, towns and homes?? Where is our right to have clean cities and towns? Therefore, I disagree with your statements. It is not my responsiblity to clean up their wasted life - it is theirs. We as society can provide ways to assist them; but it IS THEIR responsiblity to follow through. As long as we elect "leaders" to do these things for the majority of us, and citizens to volunteer their time and actions also, if they so choose, it can work. TOUGH LOVE I believe, works the best.
Viewpoint. We elect representatives to enact the laws. We also accept the oversight of our Supreme Court. We can pass laws, but individual rights must be considered. My answer here is to become smarter about enforcement. This goes along with Tough Love. What I am pointing out is we don't seem to be smart enough to not pass laws that are enabling, dangerous, and stupid. No trespassing on private property. No encampments on public property without permission or permit. Start returning to laws that prohibit the sale, transport, and use of life threatening drugs.(i.e. Fentanyl) Hold responsible those who litter, trash, and make public property a toilet. Make bail a requirement when a person breaks the law and is arrested. Write those penalties into the laws. Why not demand our elected officials and our enforcement officials ENFORCE our laws. Why pander to the small group of drug users at the expense of the law abiding majority? We have enough lawyers around that we, as a law abiding society, should be able to write laws that protect the majority, AND are Constitutional. Take a look at "harm reduction" and those who profit from this side business. Who benefits from Sanctuary Cities? Who is funding violent demonstrations? Follow the money trail. I know our representatives can't avoid being stupid, but we voters can stop electing stupid representatives.
Now I can wholeheartily agree with you, Sheldon. Excellent. Thank you.
ABeetle, I've noticed a huge change in attitudes from here and across Washington. NO MORE, the movement is now.
That is great. I myself have not noticed. I thought it was getting worse....
Another solution.
Allison Berry ( I refuse to call her a doctor) was at the forefront of harm against citizens (especially children) during the COVID debacle: pro mandates, pro shutdowns, pro jabs (again, for children!), pro censorship… For some reason Berry seems to be on the wrong side of health and reason whenever a health crisis appears in our county. Could that possibly have its roots in her progressive socialist ideology?
Excellent article. Great questions on challenging the statis quo and dogma of our woke county health officer. Future historians looking back on this era will make a lot more sense if you remember that every name is the opposite of what it really is. The antifascists are fascists, the antiracists are racists, the fact-checkers are propagandists, etc.
And the non-governmental organizations are dependent on the government.
👏👏👏
harm reduction: is facilitatated slow euthanasia to the addict and the society
Agreed.
sloppy street hospice
Hit and Miss Hospice....
How about a simple cost/benefit analysis? Would this not be prudent in a county with budget problems? How many addicts are there receiving these harm reduction tools, and what is there percentage of the total county population? How much is the total cost of the harm reduction program, including but not limited to supplies, plus government personnel costs including salaries and benefits, plus any ancillary costs? And then treatment costs? Then we’d know exactly how much this costs the taxpayer per individual. The number would be staggering — and it’s all money that could fund beneficial services like education, etc.
How about disclosing ALL the salaries of those benefiting from the current "Harm Reduction", along with total expenditures for all the efforts made to perpetuate the status quo. I mean ALL the NGO and so called NON-PROFIT salaries.
Real NGO financial transparency would show staggering waste.
To me, these Clallam County NGOs
Seem like a sweet way to launder money, meaning that when the fix is already in - county commissioners on NGO boards spending money on their pet projects with no oversight or fiscal accountability - BOOM! Agenda enacted thru the back door, regardless of the will of the people.
Great thinking, Robert!
Thanks Jake! You rock!🎸
Jake "discredit dissent by labeling it misinformation" is the root issue here. It's not Berry's first rodeo, and she will ride that horse 'til the end.
Conversely you are on foot, literally walking the trails of the suffering learning the ever evolving reality of complex problems that impact every aspect of this county.
Those of us who have overcome our own addictive behaviors and/or lived through it with loved ones tend to learn from our mistakes. Many of us had to live and learn through the other major crisis Berry oversaw, including health impacts of trying to "do the right thing." We can learn from even the most difficult situations and negative experiences. As a homeschool family I am sure you appreciate lifelong learning in any situation.
Married to someone in the music industry for 30+ years now, but more of a lyrics person, I have a song in my head for most situations. When I watch Berry speak, I just hear TheWho belting out "Don't Get Fooled Again.
"https://youtu.be/UDfAdHBtK_Q?si=fSE6MdadJ4T8mm5l
As a very young woman (decades ago) who unintentionally found herself living with an abusive narcotics trafficker I even learned something from his "business" motto "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on ME." I am ashamed to admit to some of the folks I respect most in this county that I once voted for some of those currently in office- once but not twice. There are very few persons who claim to be independent whom I believe. It is not unreasonable for someone who only knows me casually to call me a cycnic, skeptic or critic- life lessons made me that way. But I trust you, Jake, because you are walking the walk, willing to learn with each step, and bringing facts and data to support what you learn.
Ancora imparo!
Thanks, Susie. You do so much to keep citizens informed on this issue and I am very grateful.
Perhaps we can refer to Dr. Berry as " Dr. Strawberry."
Her examples of misinformation in the community on her Feb. 17th presentation absolutely made critics of harm reduction out to be sadly misinformed.
Here is an AI explanation of a " strawman argument"
AI
A straw man argument is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone misrepresents or distorts an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. The person then attacks the distorted version (the "straw man") and claims to have defeated the opponent's actual position, while in reality, the original argument remains unaddressed.
Wikipedia
How It Works
The fallacy gets its name from the idea of a scarecrow or military training dummy, which is a weak, inanimate opponent that is easy to knock down. The general structure is as follows:
Microsoft
Person A states position X.
Person B describes a distorted version of position X, called position Y (the straw man). This often involves exaggeration, oversimplification, or taking statements out of context.
Person B argues against and refutes position Y.
Person B claims that position X has been refuted, when in fact only the misrepresented version was attacked.
Scribbr
Common Examples
Straw man arguments are frequently seen in political debates, media, and everyday conversations.
Example 1: Security Measures
Person A: "I think we should add more security cameras to our building because of recent thefts".
Person B: "So you're saying you don't trust any of your neighbors?" (This misrepresents Person A's focus on crime prevention as a statement about trusting neighbors).
Example 2: Education Funding
Person A: "I think we should allocate more money toward the school's arts program".
Person B: "I disagree because I don't think we should put all of our money into art and neglect important subjects like math and science" (Person A never suggested putting all the money into the arts program).
Example 3: Dietary Choices
Person A: "I'm considering reducing my meat consumption for health reasons".
Person B: "So you want everyone to stop eating meat entirely, which is ridiculous" (Person B exaggerates "reducing" into "stopping entirely" for all people).
SC, Dr. "Strawberry" - that is funny. Even better would be to appoint a new Health Director, but the like -minded Board of Health holds that responsibility.
You are SO clever!
yep. " I don't agree free crack pipes and foil improve health outcomes of addiction"
Berry "we just want to keep people alive" (you think they deserve to die implied)
nevermind the social determinants of health of living in the comminity in chaos she fosters
You got it - that's the way they roll...
Similar to our area "pandemic" management under Dr. Berry, harm reduction was, is and will continue to be a failure. Caring and compassion are laudable traits, but they are proven to be inadequate tools to treat drug addiction. Most all of us admire nature, ignoring what nature does for a deer with a broken leg. Despite any and all efforts we are all destined to lose the life in our bodies. Further, we can never all be the same. So how much should we invest in avoiding inevitability ? I fall on the tough love side. First; being involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs must become lethal; not a slap on the wrist. Victims cannot become addicts, if there are no addictive drugs available. Second; professional counseling to determine why the addicted do not want their lives. That determination places the addict either with the drug traffickers or seizing a societal offered recovery option. Second offenders become deer with broken legs.
Thinking along the same lines Jen. A user is going to use with a clean needle, a dirty needle, a shared needle or broken needle. The user must get that drug into a vein!!! Arm, between the toes, in the anus, in the waist, just shoot it up!
The “market” for intravenous injected drugs in Clallam County is a business model El Chapo would be proud of. The availability, the locations, the quantity, the quality, the syringes and a customer base that will purchase your product no matter what the price. Bang for the buck. Man-o-man have “they” got this County figured out.