Welcome to The Newsfeed.

I'm Paris Jackson.

In November, we reported on increasing prosecutions following a Seattle ordinance criminalizing public drug use that passed back in 2023.

The goal of that ordinance offered drug users help instead of prosecution.

We're taking a closer look at the public health aspect of this issue by learning about the impact of drug treatment centers in Seattle.

On average, 3000 patients are served daily by Evergreen Treatment Services at their three clinics and with their mobile units throughout the Puget Sound region.

We sat down with one of the agency leaders who oversees multiple clinics to understand their approach.

For many people, drug treatment is unfamiliar.

How do people come to Evergreen Treatment Services?

And what does the process look like for them?

-Most of the folks that come to Evergreen come from word of mouth.

So our best connection to the community is the people that are here and who are already receiving services.

We do get a large number of referrals from the community.

That may be hospitals that are dealing with folks who have come in for an overdose or other issues that are associated with their ongoing drug use.

But the vast majority of folks are just coming in with folks that they know.

The process is really fairly simple, and that's what we want it to be.

So most individuals who show up here can just walk in and they will get treatment the same day.

-People dealing with substance abuse issues come to your clinics for a variety of different reasons.

How much do you know why someone is walking through the doors?

-Yeah.

So when people come in, we take the opportunity to complete an intake with them.

We have a lot of questions that just get into what's going on in their life.

So we take a look at their use history.

We talk to them about if they've been through treatment in the past, and we really focus on what the issues are that they're identifying in terms of their need, relationships, criminal legal issues, all of those kinds of things.

And housing is another major issue that comes up for our folks on a regular basis, and then connecting them to the resources that hopefully can address those things.

-Kind of speak upon what that support looks like in addition to treatment.

-Our treatment process is really definitely focused around not just providing medications for opioid use disorder, but we have counselors who are attempting to address behavioral issues that may come alongside the the use, as well as having case managers who can really connect people to resources, housing being one of those.

Also mental health treatment or other connecting points in the community for recovery supports.

Nearly 40% of the people that come into services with us are unhoused.

That is a major impact on their life and their ability to really address other issues in their life.

And so for us, finding ways to create stability in somebody's living environment is a really vital piece to the work that we're doing.

-Tell us what you want people to know about the people that you serve here.

-I think the biggest thing that folks should know about the population that walks through our doors is that they are resilient.

The people that are receiving services are some of the most marginalized folks in our community, and the resiliency of those folks to still find ways to survive, to meet their needs, and to ultimately show up and ask for help, I think is a huge testament to the drive that people have for a healthier and more well-rounded life, and that's what we're here to support.

I'm Paris Jackson.

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