Spokane Regional Opioid Task Force

The Spokane Regional Opioid Taskforce (SROTF) mission is to reduce and prevent opioid dependency, overdoses, and deaths. Through education channels, our goal is address the physical and community health-related consequences of drug dependence.

The Spokane Regional Opioid Task Force established the following vision for the community:

A safe and healthy community free from the ravages of opioid and other drug addiction and misuse

With these funds, we intend to update the Spokane Regional Opioid Task Force Website with task force member input. These funds will provide the annual hosting fee of the website, maintenance, and updating associated costs for the website. Thank you personally to Rob Stevens, with Molina, for your assistance and partnership in advocating for this for the task force!

Thank you Wellpoint for your generous financial sponsorship! These funds will be used to support the Spokane Regional Opioid Task Force and West Spokane Wellness Partnership with family programs, parenting programs, outreach events, and future medication take back days!

Submit your request here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y9ZGWHP

See the recorded video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsYHQu0c6Y

CPWI Coalitions in partnership with their local police departments and community partners hosted Medication Take Back Days on 04/27/2024. During these events, individuals were able to bring back unused, unwanted, and expired medications (prescription, over-the-counter, pet, and sample) to be safely and anonymously disposed of!

Key Findings

• 1,667 participants of Washington State syringe services programs (SSPs) completed a survey on their substance use, health behaviors, and health care and substance use treatment needs.
• Methamphetamine use among SSP participants was prevalent and frequent. More had used methamphetamine in the past week (89%) than fentanyl (61%), yet equal proportions (39%) identified either methamphetamine or fentanyl as their “main” drug. Most had used methamphetamine (62%) or fentanyl (51%) between 5-7 days of the past week.
• Prevalence of drug smoking among participants was high at all SSPs. Most (89%) had smoked a drug in the past week and 36% had both smoked and injected. Only 10% used drugs exclusively by injection.
• There was substantial use of safer smoking supplies at SSPs that distribute them and high interest among participants in getting safer smoking supplies at SSPs that do not yet distribute them.
• Housing was a crucial and substantial need among participants. Over half (55%) were living unhoused and 25% had only temporary/unstable housing. Among these individuals who did not have permanent housing, 68% said they would reduce or completely quit using their main drug if they had stable housing. 44% reported their “top need in life right now” to be housing.
• The majority of SSP survey participants were interested in reducing or stopping their stimulant and/or opioid use but face internal and external barriers to doing so. 32% said there was a time in the last 12 months when they “tried to get help to reduce their drug use but didn’t/couldn’t get it.”
• SSP participants wanted to receive additional services at their SSP including drug checking services, medical care, and behavioral health support. 75% said they would see a health care provider and 68% would see a mental health counselor at the SSP where they were taking the survey.

View the webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UDKDOkD1hA

View the pdf report here: https://adai.uw.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/ssp-health-survey-2023.pdf

View the one-page fact sheet here: https://adai.uw.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/SSP-Survey-Participant-Handout-2024-4-1.pdf

View more here: https://adai.uw.edu/syringe-survey-2023/

DanceSafe is a non-profit whose programs include drug education, sexual health education, political advocacy, and event outreach. You can purchase Fentanyl Test Strips directly from their website, found here: https://dancesafe.org/about-us/

PEER Spokane now has a Narcan vending machine on site with additional basic needs supplies. You can find local Narcan sites at: https://stopoverdose.org/find-naloxone-near-me-washington-state/