Q&A
Addressing racial disparities in opioid overdose trends
1:35:45
ยท
115 sec
Council Member Linda Lee inquires about efforts to address racial disparities in opioid overdose trends, particularly the lack of decrease in cases among Black and Latinx populations compared to white populations. Dr. Rebecca Linn-Walton explains the department's strategies to tackle these disparities.
- Focus on understanding why certain populations are not experiencing the same decrease in overdose rates
- Collaboration with researchers to identify gaps in service provision and community engagement
- Efforts to expand partnerships with community providers, faith-based organizations, and non-traditional venues to reach underserved populations
Linda Lee
1:35:45
Okay.
1:35:46
Oh, right.
1:35:47
Sorry.
1:35:47
Just my one final question is, and I know you sort of all alluded to this earlier, but in terms of the demographic breakdown, in terms of which populations are because we according to the data and the reports, it seems like white versus, black Latino populations, We see that there's a decrease in the opioid cases in the white population, but not in the black and Latinx population.
1:36:11
So I'm just wondering, what is the department and agency specifically doing more in terms of reaching out to those folks and targeting them?
1:36:20
If you could just go a little bit more into detail.
Dr. Rebecca Linn- Walton
1:36:24
I can start and pass it along.
1:36:25
I think we're all equally focused on why we're not have seeing the same decrease in all populations across the board.
1:36:32
And so some of that work is working with researchers who are helping us figure out, do we need more kits into the communities?
1:36:40
Are we working with the right community providers, with faith based organizations, with where are people that we're not currently engaging in our existing services that we're contracting with, and how can we better meet their needs.
1:36:51
So we're working with, coalitions, we're working with community providers.
1:36:55
Our community programs, some of them are here, and they're very not shy about sharing with us populations we're not meet meeting their needs directly.
1:37:03
And so, we wanna hear that.
1:37:04
And so, we want to adapt to meet their needs.
1:37:06
Are there new organizations we can engage with who may not be providing services, but they are meeting people who are experiencing overdoses.
1:37:15
And so, we can offer naloxone kits in churches, offer naloxone kits in, employment services, and have those conversations, and then have those referrals ready so that people can get them as well because we don't want someone to be struggling with the whole of having to respond to overdose if you're, say, a church.
1:37:33
You're not that's not your mission.
1:37:35
And so, we want to have their ability to come to us with additional supports needed as well.