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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12051989 - 1.52 1-052 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �?"sE L Contra • _. ` FROM: Mark Finucane, Director of Health Services ,; = Costa n; zzs L November 28 , 1989 Uoun`y DATE: °�s d cP couK SUBJECT: CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: Acknowledge receipt of the attached status report of the CRACK/Cocaine Task Force. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. BACKGROUND: In August of 1988, the Health Services Department formed a multi-disciplinary task force to investigate the CRACK/Cocaine epidemic in Contra Costa County and to develop strategies to deter the effects of this epidemic. This report reviews and updates past work which the task force has or indirectly been involved with, and identifies possible action plans for the future work of the task force. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE t o� I APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURES: ACTION OF BOARD ON C APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _X_UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: ATTESTED DEC 5 19 Health Service Department �• County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 (10/84) BY ,DEPUTY Contra —052 The Board of Supervisors Costa Health Services Department Tom Powers,1st District County Nancy C.Fanden,,2ndDistrict OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Robert 1.Schroder,3rd District E:......... _o Sunne Wright McPeak,4th District ' __.; Mark Finucane,Director Tom Torlakson,5th District Administrative Offices of S 20 Allen Street County Administrator ;� Martinez,California 94553 Phil Batchelor �orrq c uric (415)646-4416 County Administrator To: Board of Sup/,:��Director ors Date: October 25, 1989 From: Mark Finucan Subject: CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC Health Services Department .Attached is the Department's update of the work we began with our original report on the Crack Cocaine Epidemic. Although I don't believe we are as far along as we would like to be, I think substantial efforts are underway within the Department to evaluate and mitigate the crack cocaine epidemic effects on our population. The work remains a high priority for the Department. I realize, of course, the same is true for you as together we conduct the regional drug conferences and related community meetings. The Health Services Department has been awarded a grant of approximately $250,000 for 4 years to expand prevention, intervention and treatment services for pre and post-partum women and their children. Our County's was 1 of 17 proposals selected nationwide out of a total of 137 proposals submitted. MF:CD:ph Attachment cc Phil Batchelor A-345 (11/87) Contra The Board of Supervisors Costa Health Services Department Tom Powers,1st District County Nancy C.Fshden,2nd District OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR Robert 1.Schroder,3rd District -------- ;oe Surma Wright McPeak,4th District •:" ', -,i. Mark Finucane,Director Tom Torlskson,5th District - Administrative Offices ;S 20 Allen Street County Administrator Ps'. Martinez,California 94553 Phil Batchelor �osT Jy (415)646-4416 q couN't' County Administrator To: Cocaine Task Force Date: October 25, 1989 From: Mark Finucane, Director Subject: CRACK/Cocaine Task Health Services Department Force - Health Services Department Update and Preliminary Work Plan ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- In August of 1988, the Health Services Department formed a multi- disciplinary task force to investigate the CRACK/cocaine epidemic in Contra Cos Ita County and to develop strategies to deter the effects of this epidemic. This paper reviews and updates past work which the CRACK/cocaine Task Force has directly or indirectly been involved with, and identifies possible action plans for the future work.of the task force. UPDATE: Action plans, which specifically address the CRACK cocaine epidemic and which have been implemented since the formation of the CRACK Cocaine Task Force, are as follows: ■ Completion of CRACK Study and Publication Completed an exhaustive six month review of information which described the scope and magnitude of the CRACK epidemic. This review of key indicator data resulted in a publication which was finalized in March of 1989 and titled "The Crack Cocaine Problem in Contra Costa County. " This publication has , received accolades from throughout the State and has been an excellent public education document for residents and professionals in the County. ■ OSAP Proposal Submitted a proposal to the federal Office of Substance Abuse Prevention to expand prevention, intervention and treatment 1 I A-345 (11/87) ® 0 services for pre and post-partum women and their children. The Health Services Department has been awarded approximately $250, 000 for 4 years to serve this high risk population. Our County's was 1 of 17 proposals selected nationwide out of a total of 137 proposals submitted. ■ Universal Toxicology Screen Preliminary steps have been taken to initiate a blind, limited duration, toxicology screen of all delivering mothers in key Contra Costa and Alameda County hospitals. Dr. Malloy will be taking the lead on this project with funding being provided by the drug program office. ■ Sojourne Community Counseling Center During August . of 1989, the Sojourne Community Counseling Center began to provide outpatient counseling services with special emphasis directed towards serving the CRACK dependent residents of West County. While this program has a very minimal staffing pattern, one counselor is specifically identified to work with the perinatal substance abuse population and one counselor is identified to work with minority women at high risk for exposure to the H.I.V. virus. One of the goals of the Sojourne Program is to develop a multi-cultural program. Continued program development will occur over the next one to two years. ■ Enhance Treatment Services Through The Use of Acupuncture and Non-Psychoactive Supportive Medications Preliminary steps have been initiated to develop an acupuncture component to either the Sojourne Program or through enhancement of the San Pablo Discovery Center program. Steps have also been taken to hire a part-time medical person to help in the eventual design and development of protocol for the use , of non-psychoactive medications for outpatient detoxification from CRACK. These treatment strategies are program enhancements while the bedrock of recovery remains one of counseling and self-help/self-care. ■ Legislative Support For AB741 and AB1824 Active support is being developed for State legislation which creates more adequate funding levels for medical and psychosocial problems associated with perinatal substance abuse. Assemblywoman Speier has introduced AB741 and AB1824. These bills need the support of Contra Costa County in order 2 for adequate service levels to be developed. Mary Foran has been the lead person responsible for engineering area support and involvement in these bills. RECOMMENDED ACTION PLAN ■ Increase Countywide Training Opportunities As with any public health epidemic, the CRACK epidemic thrives in an environment in which accurate information is scarce. 'Knowledge transfer' to professional and lay community members is essential if we are to effectively address this problem. A part-time drug program staff person has been hired to assist in the development of methods for informing more people about this epidemic. ■ Increase Training and Review Policies Regarding the violence Potential With The CRACK Cocaine Population In the exhaustive key informant survey completed by Adanna Henry, a consistent theme was the concern that many workers in County departments were concerned about the violence potential of the CRACK cocaine population. Specific training and further dialogue needs to happen around the violence issues. ■ Federal Legislation Further information needs to be developed with respect to the course Congress intends to chart in the area of perinatal substance abuse. With Congressman Miller as Chair of the House Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families, Contra Costa County is in an ideal position to advocate for the forging of federal legislation that provides leadership and funding for this special population. ■ Develop (Media Prevention Efforts Greater use of the media needs to occur in the 'social marketing' aspects of public education. A part-time drug program staff member has been hired to develop the media prevention efforts. ■ Improve Data Collection Capabilities Further work needs to be directed towards collecting data 3 A which allows the Health Services Department to better define this epidemic. Part of this improved data collection system must include the development of a personnel infrastructure which allows for the actual use of this data collection system. ■ Professionalize Staffing Patterns The provision of quality health care services to the drug dependent population has become a much more complicated process. Many clients are medically fragile due to having a compromised immune system, being pregnant, having a psychiatric disability and a host of other complicating risk factors that demand advanced training in behavioral medicine. Staffing patterns must continue to utilize recovering counselor but this must be done in concert with the hiring of staff with advanced degrees in the behavioral health and public health sciences. ■ New Federal/State Funding The Federal Anti Drug Abuse Act of 1988 created several funding sources which were designed to begin attacking the drug abuse epidemic. Several new and substantial funding sources have recently become available to the Health Services Department, Drug Program Office. In order to effectively attack the CRACK/cocaine epidemic, the CRACK/cocaine Task Force recommends that immediate action be taken to expend these funds. Time is of the essence in averting further tragedy with respect . to this epidemic. A plan for the expenditure of over 1, 000,000 dollars in additional categorical funds will be presented to the Board of Supervisors by the Health Services Director along with this CRACK/cocaine Task Force report. In closing, I want to express my gratitude to all of you who assumed this additional assignment. Chuck Deutschman and Adanna Henry, in particular, have been instrumental in conducting this review. I Twill be forwarding this update to the County Administrators Office, the Board of Supervisors and the members of our Drug Abuse Advisory Board. All of them, I am sure, will be pleased with the progress we have made on addressing some of the problems reported in our original work. I MF:CD:ph fin-coc 10/89 I 4 I i