Dec 24, 2024
On this topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Everett Maroon, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, for a conversation about their work in Southeast Washington using a harm reduction philosophy to support people, stabilize lives, & promote health and wellness in the community. Crystal and Everett chat about how the opioid epidemic has impacted rural communities, the role that stigma plays in keeping people from the help they need, what harm reduction is and why it is important.
They then review the recent roller coaster ride of
Washington state’s substance use disorder policy, starting with the
Washington Supreme Court’s Blake decision, followed by a temporary
legislative fix, then an impasse at the end of last year’s
legislative session, and finally a middle-of-the-road deal that
recriminalized simple drug possession in addition to newly making
public drug use illegal. Crystal and Everett lament the missed
opportunity to meaningfully change the system & the continued lack
of treatment services relative to need, and wrap up with what can
be done at the state and local level to address the opioid
crisis.
Transcript and resources:
https://www.officialhacksandwonks.com/everett-maroon-blue-mountain-heart-to-heart/
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us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks
and on X (formerly Twitter) at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal
Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and
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more information about Blue Mountain Heart to Heart at
https://bluemountainheart2heart.wordpress.com/