The Cities & Schools coalition is seeking interested applicants to serve on the Cities & Schools Opioid and Fentanyl Task Force. This task force will seek to ensure that the South King County region works collaboratively to reduce opioid and fentanyl addiction, prevent overdose deaths and improve the quality of life for all members of our communities.
The Cities & Schools coalition recognizes that King County and specifically South King County has been heavily impacted by opioid use, overdose and death. The 2022 King County Overdose Death Report confirms this fact:
Since 2019, the number of overdose deaths has grown on an exponential scale, jumping by 20% between 2019 and 2020 and jumping by an additional 39% between 2020 and 2021. By October 15, 2022, 710 overdose deaths had occurred in King County, surpassing the total number of overdose deaths that occurred in 2021. The recent surge in overdose deaths is driven by fentanyl, which is involved in 70% of all confirmed overdose deaths that have occurred to-date in 2022, up from under 10% prior to 2018.
The most disproportionately impacted communities in King County are:
- People experiencing homelessness and people living in temporary or supportive housing
- American Indian and Alaskan Native (non-Hispanic) and Black (non-Hispanic) residents
- Communities located in Seattle and South King County
For this reason, the coalition of local government, schools and tribes will use our collective expertise and resources to combat this epidemic in our communities.
It is the desire of the coalition to create a cross section of our communities with a broad base of expertise and lived experience to help reduce the harms of this epidemic in our schools, homes, and streets.
Task Force members will include a representative collection of community members, persons with differing type of expertise with substance use disorder with a specific focus on opioids and fentanyl. Suggested members are:
- Persons with lived experience
- Family members of persons with substance use disorder
- Medical Healthcare providers
- Muckleshoot
- Faith-based community
- Youth (17-25)
- LGBTQIA+
- Non-profits that respond to substance use disorder
- Members of the BIPOC community
- Behavioral Health providers
- Community members
- Law Enforcement
- Criminal Justice System
- Elected Officials
- Business Owners
- Education Professionals
- Others as needed
Those wishing to serve on the task force will need to commit to attending at least one meeting per month from January – December 2024 from 6-8 p.m. Meetings will be held in the Auburn, Algona, Pacific area.
Virtual options will be available on a limited basis. Majority of the task force will be expected to attend in person. Childcare will be available. Interpreters will be available upon request.
ABOUT CITIES & SCHOOLS
In June 1994, the Cities and Schools Forum was founded in an effort to strengthen relationships between the Auburn School District, Green River College and surrounding cities of Auburn, Algona and Pacific.
The meetings provide opportunities for collaboration on issues and service needs faced by cities and schools. Even though there are changes in elected officials representing the governments, there has been a continual commitment and attendance at the semi-annual meetings. The boards and councils are very enthusiastic about the forum. The participating members study what specific tasks can be accomplished under the guidance of the mission statement:
The mission and vision of the Cities and Schools Forum is dedicated to building cooperative partnerships that strengthen our schools and our communities. Through coordination and collaboration, we work to improve communication, leverage our resources and help build stronger bonds across all of our communities.
Areas of study include issues of common concern; youth and family problems; transit issues; long-range plans, goals, and objectives; communication; regulations and requirements, and special projects.
To apply, please fill out the online application here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cstaskforceapp
