HomeMy Public PortalAbout07-14-2015 Human Services report revisedSummary of the Minutes from the
Meeting of the Watertown Town Council
Committee on Human Services
Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - Payne Lower Hearing Room - 7:00 pm
Given that the minutes of the Committee on Human Services' meeting held on June 16, which the Town
Council has received prior to this meeting, are quite long, I have prepared a summary of the minutes.
Information from professionals and providers regarding a substance use disorder (SUD) and treatment
of SUD.
- SUD must be treated as a disease, similar to other diseases. It is a chronic, treatable, relapsing
disease.
- Medication has been proven to effectively control an opioid addiction but it can take 14 months
to be successful.
- Family involvement in the treatment of a SUD is critical to success.
- The most important thing that can be done to address the opioid crisis is to de -stigmatize the
disease.
Some of the on —going efforts to address the crisis as well as new ideas as presented by Deborah Rosati,
Director of the Health Department and Lt. Daniel Unsworth of the Watertown Police Department.
• Several productive meetings with WPD to outline more possible collaborations
• Utilizing the Social Service Resource Specialist (SSRS)
• Locating good websites that refer people to services (one is called 'OPEN')
• Implementing a $1,500 grant for sharps container drop -boxes for used needles
• Health Department employee Wil Van Dinter conducted Narcan training for Watertown Police
Department
• Exploring with the School Department the possibility of setting up a new club for teens called
'Youth Opposed to Using' which provides discounts at local businesses for youth who agree to
drug testing and commit to stay drug free
• Co -sponsored two events, one on May 7 at the WMS initiated by Chris Thigpen from Benchmark
Recovery Center and one on May 19 which was a training on the use of Narcan and was co-
sponsored with the Watertown School Department
• Coordinating with Ms. Katelyn Dehey, the part-time clinician from Advocates, Inc., who works at
the WPD on drug -related intakes through the state -funded Jail Diversion Program
• Coordination with the state Veterans Affairs staff who offer support to any veteran who is
arrested and has a SUD
• WPD Supervisors now have Narcan in their vehicles
• Starting a recurring movie night and street hockey league with the Recreation Department in
order to give youth more familiarity and comfort with WPD as well as providing more
constructive and structured activities for them
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New ideas:
• More community forums to keep drawing people out and bringing attention to the issue and to
available resources
• Creation of a catalog of resources for people with a (SUD) and the friends and families of these
individuals in Watertown
• Take advantage of new and existing services in town (Right Turn and Wicked Sober) and refer
individuals with a SUD to them
• Explore modeling elements of the City of Gloucester's Angel Program with Ms. Dehey (The
Angel Program pays a small stipend to volunteers who work closely with the police to walk an
individual with a SUD who is detained by the police through the process of finding treatment
services.)
• Create a reverse 9-1-1 call registry for friends and families of individuals with a SUD when an
overdose occurs so that when 'bad batches' of heroin are on the streets other overdoses don't
occur
• Plan and proclaim a Drug Awareness Week (ribbons worn by schoolchildren, special attention in
the sermons of local clergy, Town Council proclamations and informational presentation,
WCATV programming, etc.)
• Secure funding for the Jail Diversion Program for FY '16 and advocate for additional funding to
increase the staff position from part-time to full-time
Additional information about the crisis and ways to address it were provided by the service providers,
advocates, and individuals with a SUD.
The Chair closed the public comments portion of the hearing and the Committee discussed how to put
in motion some of the recommendations and best -practices that were presented during the meeting.
Councilor Dushku proposed that a written plan would be helpful to track the ideas and make estimates
on their timelines and potential costs. The representatives of the Health (Ms. Rosati) and Police
Departments (Lt. Unsworth) who have already been meeting on the matter, volunteered to produce an
Emergency Action Plan within the next 3 weeks (by July 7, 2015). The plan would contain the best
recommendations from the evening's hearing and a plan for moving forward with the necessary
resources to address the escalating crisis. Initiatives that might be included in the Plan are:
- identifying funding to make the on -site clinician position at the WPD from Advocates, Inc. a
full-time position.
- establishing a network of outreach volunteers to support the clinician with follow-up for the
person with SUD
- organizing a Youth Opposed to Using (YOU) club in collaboration with WPS.
- - creating a town -wide compendium of prevention and treatment resources and establishing a
point of contact for individuals with SUDs and their families.
- exploring procedures for sharing data.
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The Committee also discussed the use of Narcan as a widely -recognized effective procedure to reverse a
drug overdose and ultimately save lives as well as the importance of drug drop boxes, which have been
recognized nationally by public health professionals as an effective substance abuse prevention tool at
the municipal level. The following motions were then made.
1) Councilor Palomba made the motion that the Committee on Human Services recommends that
the Town Council direct the Town Manager to require all Watertown Police patrolmen to carry
Narcan in their vehicles and to receive training in its use. The motion was seconded by Councilor
Dushku and approved by a 2-0 vote.
2) Councilor Palomba made the motion that the Committee on Human Services recommends that
the Town Council direct the Town Manager to require the Watertown Police Department to be
responsible for the installation and management of a drug drop -box. The motion was seconded
by Councilor Dushku and approved by a 2-0 vote.
3) Councilor Dushku made the motion that the Committee's discussion of the opioid crisis and
related matters be continued until another meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilor
Palomba and approved by a 2-0 vote.
Motion to adjourn by Councilor Palomba was seconded by Councilor Dushku and approved by a 2-0 vote
at 10:00 pm.
Amendments to Motion #1 and Motion #2 from the Committee on Human
Services meeting of June 16, 2015
Upon review of Motion #1 and Motion #2 by the Town Attorney, I offer the following
amendments:
Amendment to Motion #1
The Committee recommends that the Town Council request that the Town Manager take the
necessary steps to have Narcan available to Watertown Police patrol officers and to receive
training in its use.
Amendment to Motion #2:
The Committee recommends that the Town Council request that the Town Manager take the
necessary steps to have a drug drop box available in Watertown.