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Council Member Feliz presses for a clear answer on mobile syringe distribution
1:13:26
ยท
69 sec
Council Member Feliz repeatedly asks Rebecca Linn-Walton for a yes or no answer regarding the appropriateness of parking a mobile syringe distribution truck near a children's playground. Linn-Walton provides context-dependent responses, emphasizing the complexity of the situation.
- Feliz insists on a simple yes or no answer to whether it's appropriate to have a mobile distribution truck near a playground
- Linn-Walton explains that the answer depends on various factors and the full scope of services provided
- The exchange highlights the tension between seeking clear policy guidelines and addressing the nuanced realities of harm reduction services
Oswald Feliz
1:13:26
Alright.
1:13:27
So I guess the question, I'll make it a little bit more pointed.
1:13:29
Do we think it's a good idea to park a mobile distribution truck right next to a children's playground, a truck that provides needles?
1:13:38
Yes or no?
1:13:39
That's a very simple, clear question.
1:13:41
If we could just get a yes or no on that, that'll be great.
Rebecca Linn-Walton
1:13:43
What if it's a park that has
Oswald Feliz
1:13:44
Is it okay to provide have a local truck giving out needles right next to a children's playground?
1:13:50
That's a very simple question.
1:13:51
And if you cannot answer that, I'm very concerned about about many things related to health in our city.
Rebecca Linn-Walton
1:13:57
It's a simple question that doesn't again talk about what the full scope of services are.
1:14:03
And so if there's a park that is seeing hundreds of syringes, and it's a park where adults are as well, and there's a playground there that's experienced syringe issue, and you have a mobile van parked there to get people registered for care, to get people registered for services and part of the state regulation is that they ask for a syringe, you both teach them how to safely give it back and you can take it back yourself because they can hand it right back to you when they're done.
1:14:30
That provides an opportunity for safety for the community and the children trying to access the playground.
Oswald Feliz
1:14:35
Well, guess for anyone who's interested in in getting the answer to that, the the answer is I would assume it's it's a no.