Tag: Human Services and Health

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Opioid Addiction Recommendations: Best Practices and a United Front

Seattle and King County face a heroin and opioid addiction crisis. The numbers are staggering–229 individuals died in 2015 from heroin and prescription overdoses in King County alone. Despite the very real need, our region still suffers from a lack of services and treatment beds to address substance abuse. There are only sixteen detoxification beds […]

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Transitioning From Tents to Stability: Moving Faster to Get People Inside

Homelessness is the most talked about issue in town right now. At dinner parties, community meetings and even at a friend’s wedding Saturday night, people want to talk about how to shift from tents in their neighborhoods or along their drive home, to building more homes and stable shelters for people experiencing homelessness. Guests peppered […]

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The Task Force on Unsanctioned Encampments — 17 Principles

On October 3, 2016, the Task Force on Unsanctioned Encampments issued its report.  The sixteen members and leaders offered the following 17 Principles.  I am grateful to all who were involved, including co-chairs Sally Clark and David Moseley, and the facilitator Kjris Lund.  The names of the sixteen participants are listed below. When it is necessary […]

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Sustainable Solutions for Unsheltered Residents

Yesterday in the Human Services and Public Health Committee, Council discussed the “Sustainable Solutions for Unsheltered Residents” ordinance, and I’m writing to give an update on the Council deliberations so far. Many of the comments I’ve been hearing in the last few weeks continue to be reflected in the conversation in Committee. Some of the […]

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Office Hours in District 7

Last Wednesday, I hosted District 7 Office Hours in the Belltown Community Center. I was pleased to hear from community members on topics ranging from housing, transit, HALA, recreational marijuana licenses and homelessness. Each person brought a unique perspective, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to speak informally and in depth about their issues. Specifically, […]

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The If Project

Eight years ago Seattle Police Detective Kim Bogucki received a stack of essays from Renata, an inmate at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW at Purdy). With these essays as a foundation, Kim and Renata created the If Project, a program with a mission of preventing future crime, supporting former inmates in re-entry, and […]

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My Day Walking in the (Muddy) Shoes of One Young Woman

My day started early Saturday morning; the first meeting was 6:00 a.m. in Uptown with a group called Heroes for the Homeless.   Thirty of us re-packed donated oranges, sandwiches, cheese sticks and Fran’s chocolates into zip lock bags; we separated dry socks, clothes and hygiene items into other bags, and prepared gallons of hot chocolate […]

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Council Approves 2016 City Budget

On the Monday the Council approved the 2016 City of Seattle budget. As Chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, I was responsible for assembling a balancing package for consideration by the City Council. The budget passed by the Council focuses on urgent, immediate needs. I believe that when more people have a chance to reach […]