North Pima News

In case you missed it, yesterday, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego joined Phoenix Union Superintendent Chad Gestson, Arizona State Senator Christine Marsh, Common Sense Media Senior Manager of Education and Community Partnerships Victoria Saylor, Valle Del Sol Dr. Matthew Evan, and others, for a joint roundtable discussion and tele-town hall on the dangers of fentanyl.          

During the event, medical professionals and resource providers educated parents, students, and members of the public about what fentanyl is, where it's found, and how to stay safe. Common Sense Media and local providers told families the best practices to protect children on social media, especially as the summer break nears.

"This is a huge challenge for our community and we need all partners. I'm so grateful that Phoenix Union convened us tonight. This gives me hope that we are all going to work together," said Mayor Gallego said at the discussion. "Fentanyl is an ever-evolving threat, but if we talk to each other, and talk to our students, and more importantly, listen to them, we can really take this on."

During the event, the mayor spoke about the ongoing work being done by the city’s Office of Public Health, which has convened an internal working and advisory group composed of public safety personnel, public health experts, and city department representatives, from Parks and Recreation, Youth and Education, and more.  

The city’s Office of Public Health is concluding a comprehensive needs assessment and evaluation of existing community services in order to best move forward on initiatives that will keep Phoenicians safe, from expanding Narcan accessibility to creating an opioid related surveillance data dashboard. Results from the assessment will be available next month, and from there the next steps will be shaping a community-oriented action plan that will be voted on in City Council.  

When asked what the city can do during the summer months to engage kids of all ages, the mayor spoke about Parks and Recreation activities, free library resources and more:

"We want to be good partners to you all at the city, and our free programs are great opportunities to ensure your kids have a fun but valuable summer," Gallego said.  

Background:

In recent years, in part exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in fentanyl use and opioid addiction has led to a sharp spike in overdoses across the country. In 2022, Phoenix saw 991 overdose deaths -- 71.5% of those came from fentanyl. That same year, Phoenix Fire responded and administered naloxone – a drug that can rapidly reverse the effects of an overdose -- to 3,869 individuals.  

Two years ago, the City of Phoenix joined 90 other Arizona cities to sign on to the One Arizona Opioid Settlement Memorandum of Understanding (“One Arizona Agreement”). The Agreement outlines the distribution of the estimated $542 million dollars that Arizona will receive over 18 years.  

Over 20% of that funding will go to the City of Phoenix and 44% of the total settlement will remain with the State to fund future opioid programs and response efforts. Together, the city’s Public Health Office and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health have been working to maximize community resources and share expertise.

Original source can be found here.