HomeMy WebLinkAboutSAMSHA grant of COM 4,,, Board of County Commissioners
' 7ON eos.$ 1820 Jefferson Street
0 �'„ri, PO Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
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.�G Kate Dean,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
III NG
April 4, 2022
To Whom It May Concern:
The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners is in full support of the SAMSHA grant being
submitted in partnership by; Gabbie Caudill of Believe in Recovery/Gateway to Freedom, Autumn
Nolan of Olympic Community Action, (OlyCAP) and Annie Failoni of Olympic Peninsula Health
Services, (OPHS). All agencies reside in Jefferson County, Washington.
In our roles as a Jefferson County Commissioners, we see harm reduction for South Jefferson County
being of primary importance. Indeed, Commissioner Brotherton participates in an ad hoc committee
from our Community Health Improvement Plan to address opportunities for destigmatizing and
forwarding harm reduction in South County.
If funded, this mobile unit would provide crucial services to address the challenge our community faces
in regards to behavioral health crises.
A high percentage of our jail population suffers from mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The
most daunting addiction in recent years has become opioid use (12.54 other opioid deaths per
100,000), (7.32 heroin related deaths per 100,000). Alcoholism has always been prevalent.
Harm reduction in South County is a priority and having a mobile unit providing SUD/MAT services
would address a Jefferson County- identified priority within the Behavioral Health Consortium sub-
group. Being able to divert individuals with Behavioral Health issues away from Jail and towards
treatment programs and other community resources while reducing recidivism will help fill a gap in the
most rural areas of our County.
Thank you for your consideration of this proposal for Jefferson County. We are hopeful that you, too,
will recognize how impactful a project like this can be for a small rural County where fewer services
exist and access is always an issue.
Sincerely, _.____..
Jefferson County Commissioner
. R, j
Kate Dean eidi Eisenhour, Chair Greg Bro erton
Commissioner, District 1 Commissioner, District 2 Commissioner, District 3
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us