ALRIGHT WE ARE GOING TO GET
STARTED. AH! DO I NEED TO DO
ANYTHING TO SIGNAL THAT WE'RE
STARTING OR WE JUST GO AHEAD AND
DO IT, OKAY? ALL RIGHT. WELL
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE AND
WELCOME COLLEAGUES, HONORED
GUESTS AND MEMBERS OF THE AIR
HAS BAND OF I INDIANS AS CHAIR
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
FENTANYL. OPIOID ADDICTION AND
OVERDOSE PREVENTION. I WANT TO
WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS
IMPORTANT GATHERING. MY NAME IS
MATT HANEY. I REPRESENT ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT 17, WHICH ISN'T IN SAN
FRANCISCO. AND I'M VERY, UH,
PROUD TO BE HERE WITH THREE OF
MY COLLEAGUES WHO WE EACH HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES AND SHARE SOME
OPENING REMARKS BEFORE I GET
STARTED. I WANT TO GIVE A
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS
VIA HAS BANNED OF COMEY. I
INDIANS AND TO THE TRIBAL
COUNCIL LEADERS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE. IT IS
OUR GREAT HONOR TO BE HOSTING
THIS WITH YOU. AND TO BE ABLE TO
LEARN FROM YOU AND YOUR
INCREDIBLE EFFORTS. I WANT TO
THANK ALL OF THE TRIBES WHO
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS HEARING,
INCLUDING THE TOOL, A RIVER
TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA KNOW THEIR
VICE CHAIRMAN NIETO AND TRIBAL
PROJECT MANAGER MARTINEZ ARE
HERE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR
OPENNESS TO TESTIFY ALONGSIDE
THE HOUSE ON THIS ISSUE AND YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO SHARE YOUR
EXPERIENCES WITH US. TODAY WE
COME TOGETHER TO SHED LIGHT ON A
PRESSING URGENT ISSUE THAT HAS
DEEPLY AFFECTED EVERYONE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND DEEPLY AFFECTED
TRAVEL COMMUNITIES. THE
DEVASTATING IMPACT OF FENTANYL.
AND OPIOID ADDICTION. IN OUR
ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND AND
ADDRESS THIS CRISIS, IT IS
CRUCIAL TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE
EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES FACED
BY TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. AS
INHERITORS OF A RICH CULTURAL
HERITAGE. THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
IN OUR STATE HAVE THRIVED IN
HARMONY FOR COUNTLESS
GENERATIONS. HOWEVER THE
EMERGENCE OF THIS INSIDIOUS
OPIOID CRISIS HAS DISRUPTED THE
VERY FABRIC OF THEIR CLOSE KNIT
COMMUNITY AS IT HAS OTHER TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. IN
CALIFORNIA DATA FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SHOWS THAT 7175 OPIOID
RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE
STATE OCCURRED IN 2021. IN 2022
. THE CDC REPORTED THAT THE
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA
NATIVE POPULATIONS HAD THE
HIGHEST DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH
RATES IN BOTH 2020 2021 AT RATES
OF 42.5 AND 56.6 DEATHS PER
100,000 PERSONS. THIS INCLUDES A
33% INCREASE IN DRUG OVERDOSE
DEATHS. FROM 2021 THROUGH 2023
FROM 2020 TO 2021. EACH OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
HAD FAMILY FRIENDS AND LOVED
ONES WHO CONTINUE TO SUFFER FROM
THOSE LOSSES. TRAVEL COMMUNITIES
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY
EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE IN
OVERDOSES IS COMPARED TO OTHER
GROUPS. AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT
THIS IS STEMMING FROM POLICY
SUBSTANCE USE, ACCORDING TO CDC
. THIS IS PRIMARILY CAUSED BY
UNINTENTIONAL POLICY SUBSTANCE
USE, WHICH IS WHEN A PERSON
TAKES DRUGS MIXED OR CUT WITH
OTHER SUBSTANCES LIKE FENTANYL
WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
ALTHOUGH THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE
COMPLETE DATA FROM 2022, OR 2023
INFORMATION SHARED DURING THE
MARCH ROUND TABLE ON THE IMPACTS
OF FENTANYL AND OVERDOSES
CONVENED BY THE CALIFORNIA
NATIVE AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE
CAUCUS SHOWED FENTANYL YOU USAGE
HAS SURGED EVEN HIGHER IN SOME
TRIBAL REGIONS OVER THE PAST
YEAR. AND I WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LEADER
OF THAT ROUND TABLE. MY GOOD
FRIEND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JAMES
RAMOS, WHO ISN'T HERE TODAY. BUT
SINCE HIS REGARDS AND HIS
SUPPORT AND HAS DONE TREMENDOUS
WORK TO ADDRESS THE OVERDOSE,
CRISIS AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
TODAY, WE WILL DELVE INTO THE
REALITIES FACED BY THE KUMI, I
PEOPLE AND OTHER TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. AND THE REMARKABLE
RESILIENCE THEY HAVE SHOWN IN
THE FACE OF THIS CRISIS. IT IS A
TESTAMENT TO THE STRENGTH THAT
THEY HAVE NOT ONLY CONFRONTED
THIS CHALLENGE HEAD ON, BUT ALSO
HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE
SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT IT. AFTER
OUR PANEL DISCUSSION, MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE REVIVED
PATHWAY CENTER AND ALCOHOL IN
JUST 15 MINUTES FROM HERE. THIS
CENTER WAS FIRST CAN CAN CAN SEE
AS A PROACTIVE FIRST STEP IN
ADDRESSING ADDICTION IN THIS
COMMUNITY THROUGH A COMBINATION
OF TRADITIONAL HEALING PRACTICES
, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS
AND COLLABORATION WITH MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS. WE ARE FORGING A
PATH TOGETHER TOWARDS HEALING
AND RECOVERY. THEIR COMMITMENT
TO RESTORING BALANCE AND WELL
BEING WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY IS
INSPIRING AND SERVES AS A BEACON
OF HOPE FOR OTHER TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES FACING SIMILAR
STRUGGLES. WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
DURING THE MARCH ROUND TABLE IS
HAVING A REGIONAL TREATMENT
CLINIC IN AREAS CLOSE TO TRIBAL
LAND IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN
COMBATING THE OPIOID AND
FENTANYL CRISIS. THE IMPACTS OF
ADDICTION KNOW NO BOUNDARIES.
AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ARE
PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE IN THE
DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF THESE
SUBSTANCES. ESTABLISHING
RECOVERY CLINICS IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO TRIBAL LANDS
PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND
SUPPORT THAT ARE TAILORED TO THE
UNIQUE NEEDS AND CULTURAL
SENSITIVITIES OF THE COMMUNITY.
TRIBAL RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE
TO WAIT 2 TO 3 HOURS FOR HELP OR
TRAVEL 50 TO 100 MILES TO
RECOVERY CENTER BY INVESTING IN
REGIONAL TREATMENT CLINICS. WE
NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATE OUR
COMMITMENT TO THE WELL BEING
EMPOWERMENT OF TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES, BUT WE ALSO PAVED
THE WAY FOR A BIO FUTURE WHERE
HEALING AND HOPE CAN, UH,
FLOURISH. AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH
THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT WE FOSTER
GREATER UNDERSTANDING, EMPATHY
AND SUPPORT FOR THE TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES BY RECOGNIZING THE
UNIQUE CHALLENGES THEY FACE,
BOTH IN HEALTH CARE, AND ALSO IN
THE LEGAL SYSTEM. WE CAN WORK
COLLABORATIVELY TO DEVELOP
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS THAT NOT
ONLY ADDRESS ADDICTION STATEWIDE
, BUT ALSO HONOR THEIR CULTURAL
HERITAGE AND STRENGTHEN THE
FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY. THERE
WERE THREE THERE WILL BE THREE
PANELS TODAY AND OUR SPEAKERS
WILL COME FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF
BACKGROUNDS. THIS INCLUDES
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP, IMPACTED
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND TRIBAL HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS. EACH PANEL WILL
COME UP TOGETHER TO TESTIFY AND
AFTER THE WITNESSES ARE FINISHED
PROVIDING THEIR TESTIMONY,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE MAY ASK
QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THAT
PANEL. AFTER THE HEARING, THERE
WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WERE HERE TODAY. WE
ARE NOT ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT
OVER THE PHONE TODAY, BUT YOU
CAN SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO
THE COMMITTEE AT ASSEMBLY MEMBER
DOT HANEY AT ASSEMBLY DOT C A
DOT GOV. THIS EMAIL IS ALSO ON
OUR WEBSITE. AH I DO WANT TO SAY
AND SO THIS HEARING IS FOCUSED
SPECIFICALLY ON THE IMPACT OF
OVERDOSE AND OPIOID ADDICTION
AND FENTANYL AND TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC
THAT IS IMPACTING EVERY SINGLE
CORNER OF OUR STATE, EVERY
SINGLE CITY EVERY SINGLE COUNTY
, IT DOES NOT KNOW SOVEREIGN
BOUNDARIES. IT DOES NOT KNOW
COUNTY BOUNDARIES. IT DOES NOT
NO POLITICAL PARTY AND IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT WE COME
TOGETHER. AND LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER. LEARN WHAT WE ARE DOING,
LEARN WHERE THE INVESTMENTS ARE
NEEDED AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY
TO ADDRESS EVERY ASPECT OF THIS
CRISIS, WHETHER THAT'S EMERGENCY
INTERVENTIONS TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE CAN REVERSE OVERDOSES
WHEN THEY HAPPEN, ACCESS TO
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY FOR
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET OFF OF
THESE DEADLY DRUGS. AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO STOP THE
FLOW OF THESE DRUGS COMING INTO
OUR COMMUNITIES TO BEGIN WITH.
WE ARE COMMITTED AS AS THIS
COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS ALL OF
THESE ISSUES AND PARTNERING
CLOSELY WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO BE ABLE
TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS, AND I HOPE
THAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS HEARING
IS LEGISLATION. PROPOSALS
INVESTMENTS AND A STRONG
PARTNERSHIP THAT TRULY SAVES
LIVES WITH THAT, I WANT TO OPEN
IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES TO ALLOW
THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS, AND, UH
AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO
THE COMMITTEE TO THE PANELS. I
KNOW THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
PATTERSON WANTED TO SAY A FEW
WORDS IN AN ALTERNATIVE TO MY
OTHER COLLEAGUES AS WELL AND
JUST REMIND FOLKS YOU HAVE TO
HIT THE BUTTON HERE TO IN ORDER
TO SPEAK. FIRST OF ALL, I THANK
THE CHAIR FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF
BEING HERE AND ALSO FOR BEING ON
THE ON THE COMMITTEE. WE ARE
OBVIOUSLY LEARNING THE DEPTH AND
THE SCOPE OF THIS TRAGEDY. AND
IT IS HITTING SO MANY OF US AND
THOSE WE CARE ABOUT INCLUDING
OUR NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT THE HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY
INDIANS HAVE PROVIDED FOR US TO
BE HERE AND TO BE PART OF THIS,
AND THEY'RE TERRIFIC. VENUE. UH,
THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS DEAR TO
ME BECAUSE FRESNO, CALIFORNIA BY
ITS CENTRALIZED LOCATION. AND
IT'S BEING TRIANGULATED BY SOME
OF THE MOST TRAVELED INTERSTATE
FREEWAYS AND IN CALIFORNIA. IS A
PLACE FOR FENTANYL DISTRIBUTION
, AND WE HAVE SEEN A HUGE RISE.
AND AS A RESULT, FRESNO COUNTY
HAS PUT TOGETHER WHAT IS CALLED
THE FORT TEAM. THIS IS THE
FENTANYL OVERDOSE RESPONSE TEAM.
AND AS A DIRECT RESULT OF WHAT
FRESNO COUNTY HAS BEEN ABLE TO
DO. WHICH IS TAKE THEM
HEALTHCARE WORKERS. THEY WILL BE
IN OUR HOSPITALS AND WHEN
THERE'S AN OVERDOSE THAT
HAPPENS, AND THERE THE DEATH. WE
ARE ABLE TO HAVE COOPERATION
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT TRACE
BACK THAT EPISODE AND TRY TO
FIND WHERE THE SUPPLIES ARE
COMING FROM AND WHO ARE
SUPPLYING THEM. WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER UH, IDIOMATIC, UH
APPROPRIATE SOCIAL MEDIA AND
PUBLIC SERVICE SO THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THE
MESSAGE. IT'S CALLED ONE PILL
CAN KILL. NOW WE ALSO HAVE ARE
YOU? PROFESSIONALS IN TRYING TO
GET PEOPLE OFF OF THEIR
ADDICTION. AND THEY ARE READY AS
A PART OF THIS RESPONSE TEAM AS
WELL. AND SO A YEAR AGO, UH, I
PUT TOGETHER A BILL AND I WANT
TO THANK THE MEMBERS HERE. JUST
PAST UNIVERSALLY, IT WAS
BASICALLY A FENTANYL OVERDOSE.
RESPONSE TEAM THAT SET UP ABOUT
. THESE PILOT PROJECTS IN SIX
AREAS OF CALIFORNIA TO IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO IN
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TO IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND WHAT IT
DOES IS IT ENCOURAGES. COUNTIES
TO APPLY FOR A SHARE OF $5
MILLION A YEAR IN STATE FUNDING.
TO ORGANIZE AND PUT TOGETHER
THEIR OWN ADDITION. OF THE OF
THE FORTS. A TEAM. UM AND THE
CDVA HD IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING
APPLICATIONS AND SO I WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THIS AREA AND
THOSE OF YOU HERE I KNEW THAT.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DOES INCLUDE
THE SAN DIEGO AREA AND IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN IT TO COMMUNICATE
WITH WITH MY OFFICE, AND WE ARE
IN THE PROCESS OF HELPING OTHER
REGIONS UNDERSTAND THAT
COMPREHENSIVE AND COOPERATIVE
SOLUTION APPROACH HERE. AND
SHORTLY THOSE GRANTS WILL BE
GOING OUT AND PEOPLE WILL BE
APPLYING FOR THEM. AS I SAID SIX
PILOT PROJECTS WILL SHARE $5
MILLION. THAT'S ABOUT 833,000.
FOR EACH OF THOSE. OPERATIONS
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BUILT IT AROUND
FRESNOS, ORGANIZATIONAL AND
COOPERATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO
THAT IT IS LIMITED TO OPEN
RATHER TO THOSE WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCES ON THE GROUND HERE,
OBVIOUSLY IN OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. AND SO I WELCOME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
WE'RE LEARNING. THAT WHAT IS
NECESSARY HERE IS COMPREHENSIVE
COOPERATIVE APPROACHES. IT'S
MULTILEVELED, MULTIFACETED AND
BUILT AROUND THE PARTICULAR
NEEDS OF THE REGIONS IN WHICH
THESE FENTANYL DEALERS ARE
OPERATING, AND SO I APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY. TO BE HERE. UH,
WE ARE SERIOUS. ABOUT MAKING
THIS. NOT ONLY ARE PERSONAL
PRIORITIES BROUGH REASONS, BUT.
FOR LEGISLATIVE PURPOSES. WE
NEED UNDERSTANDING. WE NEED
WISDOM. WE NEED PARTNERS. WE
NEED COMPASSION. AND TOGETHER I
THINK WE CAN START TO TURN THE
TIDE ON THIS. AT LEAST I'M
HOPING AND PRAYING WE CAN DO
THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
REMEMBER? ASSEMBLY MEMBER
AVERAGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
AND I WANT TO WELCOME MY
COLLEAGUES TO SAN DIEGO, MY
NATIVE COUNTY AND THE ONE I'M
PROUD TO REPRESENT IN OUR
LEGISLATURE. UM, THERE'S NOT A
LOT OF THINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS THAT SCARE ME AS A
FATHER. FATHER OF MIDDLE
SCHOOLER IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
KID. UM, AS AS IT DOES TO
ANYBODY WHO HAS CHILDREN. VERY
FEW THINGS SCARE ME AS MUCH AS
FENTANYL AND FENTANYL CRISIS.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE
, CHAIRMAN OF THIS COMMITTEE, MR
HANEY, BECAUSE WHEN I GOT
ELECTED IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR.
AND WE SAT DOWN AND WE HAD A
CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT OUR
PRIORITIES. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT I KNOW HAS BEEN A PRIORITY
OF HIS, UM FROM THE DAY HE GOT
TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND IT'S
SOMETHING HE'S BEEN FOCUSING ON.
AND THESE HEARINGS ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY MOVING THE BALL ON
THE ISSUE OF FENTANYL, AND I
WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THE
LEADERSHIP ON THAT, UM AND I
WANT TO THANK OUR HOSTS.
OBVIOUSLY. WE HAVE A HISTORY
HERE IN SAN DIEGO THAT WHEN
CRISIS OCCURS, WE COME TOGETHER
AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROBLEM
SOLVE. ONE OF THE MOST WELL
KNOWN CRISIS THAT WE FACE IN SAN
DIEGO ARE THE FIRES THE
WILDFIRES THAT UNFORTUNATELY
STARTED, I THINK TO BE
HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN SAN DIEGO IN
THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS AND NOW,
UNFORTUNATELY, ARE PART OF OUR
STATE. TO REGULARLY. BUT THAT
WAS A CRISIS THAT OCCURRED AND
THAT IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY
ENTIRELY IN OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITY
WAS VERY IMPACTED. AND ONE OF
THE LESSONS LEARNED AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WELL AS A
REGION. IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
FIRE PROTECTION. IT'S SOMETHING
THAT IT WAS. ANALYZED WE SAW THE
CRISIS WE SAW WHERE WE HAD THE
WEAKNESSES AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO
DO TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AND
WE'VE WE CAME TOGETHER AS A
REGION AND IN TRUE PARTNERSHIP
WITH OUR TRIBAL NATIONS, UM,
HAVE CREATED A SAFER COMMUNITY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
CONVERSATION LEADING US IN THE
SAME WAY. TO THAT TO THAT. TO
THAT GOAL OF ENSURING THAT THE
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE
THROUGHOUT, SENDING YOUR COUNTY
THAT OFTEN. TOO OFTEN DON'T
RECHARGE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES DOES
NOT HAPPEN WHEN IT COMES TO US
FIGHTING THIS CRISIS. UH AS MY
COLLEAGUE, MR PATTERSON NOTED,
THERE ARE RESOURCES AND STEPS
THAT ARE BEING TAKEN AND LED BY
PEOPLE LIKE HIM AND OTHERS. AND
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO DISTRIBUTE
RESOURCES TO BRING PROGRAMS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT
WE NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS THIS WE
NEVER FORGET. THE COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE TOO OFTEN FORGOTTEN IN
OUR TRIBAL, TRIBAL NATION
COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY. WE
NEED TO CONTINUE TO THAT
DIALOGUE. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT
WHEN THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING
MADE, WHETHER THEIR RESOURCES
FUNDING OR OTHER LAWS THAT NEED
TO PROBABLY COME, UM I'M LINE TO
FIGHT THIS CRISIS THAT WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITY PARTNERS MUST BE AT
THE TABLE AND MUST BE PART OF
THAT DECISION MAKING SO I
APPRECIATE IN ADVANCE TO
TESTIMONY BEING PROVIDED TODAY
BY OUR PANELS AND BY THOSE WHO
SPEAK THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MRS.
CHAIR. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S IVO. THANK YOU.
I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR
INCLUDING ME. I'M ACTUALLY NOT
OFFICIALLY ON THE SELECT
COMMITTEE OF THE FENTANYL SELECT
COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S A REALLY
IMPORTANT ISSUE IN MY COMMUNITY
. I REPRESENT ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
40, WHICH IS THE SANTA CLARITA
VALLEY IN THE NORTH SAN FERNANDO
VALLEY AND OUR COMMUNITY LIKE
ALL COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE REALLY BEEN HIT HARD BY
THIS CRISIS, AND TOO OFTEN, IT'S
ACTUALLY BEEN IN OUR SCHOOLS
WHERE WE'VE BEEN SEEING, UM THE
EFFECTS AND DEATHS HAPPENING,
AND, UM, IT'S HEARTBREAKING AS A
MOTHER, I ALSO HAVE A MIDDLE
SCHOOLER, AND IT'S TERRIFYING TO
THINK WHAT SHE'S GOING TO BE
FACING AND IMAGINING WHAT
PARENTS HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH
WHO HAVE BEEN LOSING THEIR
CHILDREN. IT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS THAT I AM CO AUTHORING A
B 19, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE NARCAN
TO BE IN ALL SCHOOLS. AS A LIFE
SAVING MEASURE WHEN THESE CRISES
HAPPEN, AND IT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS I WANTED TO BE HERE
TODAY, BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT ISSUE, I KNOW OUR
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TOO OFTEN ARE
ON THE FRONT LINES OF, UM, OF
ADDICTION CRISIS AND THIS ONE,
YOU KNOW, BEING THE MOST RECENT
AND THE MOST DEADLY.
UNFORTUNATELY HAVING WORKED FOR
A TRIBE AND SEEN THE IMPORTANT
WORK THAT TRIBES DO. I'M VERY
EXCITED TO HEAR THE SOLUTIONS
AND, UM, AND INITIATIVES THAT
YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD THAT WE
CAN LEARN FROM AND HOPE THAT
THESE CAN BE LESSONS THAT WE CAN
TAKE BACK TO SACRAMENTO AND
REALLY FIGURE OUT POLICY THAT
CAN BENEFIT OUR WHOLE STATE.
THIS IS A CRISIS THAT WE TAKE
VERY SERIOUSLY AND I KNOW
THERE'S MANY, MANY, MANY BILLS
THIS YEAR TO ADDRESS THIS TO
REALLY PUT FORWARD SOLUTIONS
THAT WE NEED. AND I THINK FOR ME
, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS THAT WORK.
I THINK THAT THERE CAN SOMETIMES
BE A LOT OF ENERGY PUT INTO BAND
AID SOLUTIONS OR SOLUTIONS WHERE
YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE DOING
SOMETHING, BUT IT DOESN'T
ACTUALLY HAVE THE IMPACT THAT IT
NEEDS TO REALLY MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW
, WE WERE. I THINK, LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING SOLUTIONS
THAT ARE WORKING THAT ARE MAKING
AN IMPACT AND REALLY
UNDERSTANDING. WHAT WHAT CAN WE
FOCUS OUR RESOURCES ON? WHAT CAN
WE FOCUS OUR POLICY MAKING ON
WHERE IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY
SAVE LIVES AND HAVE THE IMPACT
THAT WE NEED? UM WE DON'T WANT
TO BE SPENDING SPINNING OUR
WHEELS. WE DON'T WANT TO BE
WASTING TIME ON SOMETHING LIKE
THIS, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T
WANT TO JUST GIVE LIP SERVICE,
UM AND NOT PRODUCE AND SO I'M
VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING AN
IMPACT HERE. I'M INTERESTED IN
REALLY SOLVING THIS ISSUE. UM,
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
RESOURCES AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO
SAVE LIVES AND TO TACKLE THIS
THIS CRISIS LIKE WE NEED TO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU. TO ALL THREE OF
YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS THIS
WOULD NORMALLY BE A DAY WHEN
EACH MEMBER IS BACK IN THEIR
HOME DISTRICT. AND SO IT REALLY
SAYS A LOT ABOUT EACH OF YOUR
COMMITMENT TO WORKING ON
SOLUTIONS ON THIS ISSUE AND
PARTNERING WITH TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE SPENDING
YOUR TIME HERE. I ALSO WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE STAFF
FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WALDRON'S
DISTRICT. SHE HAD A NUMBER OF
STAFF WHO WERE HERE SHE HAD TO
BE OUT OF, OR IN HER DISTRICT.
SORRY SHE HAD TO BE IN
SACRAMENTO TODAY, BUT WE ARE IN
HER DISTRICT NOW AS WELL. WE
WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK HER
FOR HER PARTNERSHIP. SHE'S BEEN
A TREMENDOUS LEADER ON THIS
ISSUE AND A PARTNER. I KNOW TO
THE HOUSE AS WELL. AH WITH THAT
AND ALSO WANT TO SAY THIS IS
BEING RECORDED, AND WE'RE GOING
TO BE SHARING THIS WITH WITH ALL
OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND FELLOW
MEMBERS AS WELL AND REALLY HOPE
THAT THIS CONVERSATION LEADS TO
A LOT OF ACTION AND SOLUTIONS
AND PARTNERSHIP AS WE MOVE
FORWARD. SO WITH THAT I WANT TO
MOVE AND GET STARTED AND
INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PANEL WHO IS
GOING TO JUST DISCUSS THE IMPACT
OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC FROM THE
TRIBAL COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE.
AND FOR THIS PANEL, WE HAVE JOHN
CHRISMAN, CHAIR CHAIRMAN OF THE
HOUSE BAND OF KUMEYAAY INDIANS,
AND DANIELLE ESPINOZA, WHO IS AN
IMPACT COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE.
NBA HAS CHAIRMAN CHRISMAN AGAIN
. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOSTING
US AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. WE
ARE VERY HONORED TO BE HERE
TODAY. UH, AND WITH THAT. PLEASE
BEGIN. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S HALEY PATERSON
, CHIEVO AND ALVAREZ FOR TAKING
THE TIME. THIS EFFORT. SEEMS TO
BE MORE GRASSROOTS AND ALSO FOR
US, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY WIDE. SO
TO SEE THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE,
ANOTHER TRIBAL NATION COUNTY
STATE REPRESENTATIVES. THAT
MEANS THAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO
WORK TOGETHER TO COLLABORATE TO
COME TO SOME SORT OF SOLUTION
FOR THIS PROBLEM. HE'S UH HE'S
INDIVIDUALS. THEY WE'VE HAD AN
ADDICTION PROBLEM MY WHOLE LIFE.
I'VE BEEN IN AN ADULT LEADERSHIP
SINCE 1991. I WAS IN LEADERSHIP.
DURING THE WHOLE METHAMPHETAMINE
CRISIS AND SAW THAT THIS IS MY
THIRD TENURE NOW OR MY THIRD
STENT ON COUNCIL THIS TIME AS
CHAIRMAN. AND LOOKING AT THE
GREATER COMMUNITY AND LOOKING AT
ALL OF OUR MEMBERS. WE'VE HAD
BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ISSUES
MY WHOLE LIFE BUT LOOKING INTO
THE EYES OF A METH ADDICT VERSUS
THE FENTANYL IS WAY DIFFERENT. I
SAID IN THE PREVIOUS TESTIMONY
WHEN I TESTIFIED AT THE CAPITOL
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING INTO THE
EYES OF THESE PEOPLE, NOW THERE
IS SOMEWHAT MORE PSYCHOSIS. THEY
CAN'T HEAR YOU. WE SIT DOWN WE
AS COUNSEL, WE ARE IN THE
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE 300 ROUGHLY
COUNTING THE CHILDREN, THE
CHILDREN, WE HAVE 350 MEMBERS.
BUT THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER
FAMILY MEMBERS A LITTLE CLOSER
TO 400. AND WE ARE ALL OF US.
ALL SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE
ALWAYS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE
VARIOUS EVENTS, BUT THEN WHEN WE
GO TO HELP THESE PEOPLE WE HAVE
A SYSTEM. SO WE CAN WE PROVIDE
HEALTH INSURANCE. WE EVEN HAVE
TO REPRESENTATIVE TO PLACE THESE
PEOPLE, BUT THEY HAVE TO WANT TO
GO. AND THEY CAN CHECK OUT WELL.
AS THIS. PROGRESSES AND WE SEE
THESE PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, AND SOME OF IT'S
KIND OF CRAZY. BUT WE TRY AND WE
SAY, CAN WE PLACED WHERE YOU
AGREED TO GO IN? WE'LL TAKE CARE
OF YOUR HOME. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF
ANYTHING. AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS
AGREE. WE I HAVE HAD SOME
CASUALTIES TO THIS SINCE 2018. I
THINK THERE'S BEEN A TOTAL OF
FIVE DEATHS IN THE COMMUNITY.
OVERDOSES. WE HAVE SOME SOME
NEAR DEATHS THAT WERE BROUGHT
BACK BY NARCAN. LUCKILY THAT'S
AVAILABLE AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
A MACHINE WHERE YOU CAN GET IT
IN THE COMMUNITY PLACED OUT
THERE LIKE A VENDING MACHINE.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING EVERYTHING
WE POSSIBLY CAN. WITHIN THIS
LAST YEAR, WE'VE OPENED UP A
WELLNESS CENTER MORE TO THE
GRASSROOTS FOR THE COMMUNITY OF
YOUR HOUSE. TO GO AND TALK ABOUT
THESE ISSUES. IT COULD BE THE
FIRST CONTACT WHERE SOMEBODY
COULD GO IN, SIT DOWN WITH
SOMEBODY AND THEN BE PLACE TO
THE NEXT FACILITY AND THAT CASE
WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS OUR NEW
OFFICE. THE ONE THAT WE ARE
OPENING IN TOWN WENT TOGETHER
SOLUTIONS. OR I'M SORRY. REVIVED
PATHWAY. EXCUSE ME. AND THIS
WILL OPEN. FOR ANONYMITY,
PURPOSES FOR THE COMMUNITY SO
THEY CAN LEAVE HERE BECAUSE WHEN
YOU GO TO THE WELLNESS CENTER,
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE
DOING THERE USUALLY, ALTHOUGH WE
HAVE TRIED TO MODEL THAT
DIFFERENTLY FOR DIFFERENT
GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNS. BUT SOME
OF THESE THINGS ARE EMBARRASSING
. SO WE TRY TO LET THEM DO THAT
AND THEN TO BE PLACED IN
INPATIENT TREATMENT. IT DOES NOT
ALWAYS WORK. SO COLLABORATING
TODAY MEANS THAT WE ALL AGREE
THAT WE ALL NEED. THIS IS BIGGER
THAN JUST ALL OF US IN THE STATE
AND THE TRIBE AND THE COUNTY
THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS AS A
WHOLE. Tð TRY TO COME TO SOME
SORT OF SOLUTION FOR ALL OF US
TO SAVE SOME PEOPLE OF THESE
THAT SUCCUMBED TO THESE
CASUALTIES OF THIS WAR THAT
WE'RE IN. SOME OF THESE THESE
ACTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN THEY
SEEN. THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE
EFFECTIVE, BUT THEN THEY'RE NOT
ENOUGH. AND SO. WE ARE LOOKING
FOR YOUR HELP FOR YOUR INPUT FOR
THE STATE. AND HOW WE CAN
RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. AS WE PRESS
ON. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THESE
PEOPLE, SOMETIMES THE ELEMENTS
THAT BRING THEM HERE. YOU KNOW
THEY WITH THE TRIBE HERE. WE'RE
45 MINUTES FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL BORDER. SO WE'RE
GOING TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE
TRAFFICKING OF THESE DRUGS A
LITTLE WORSE THAN SOME OTHER
COMMUNITIES TO THE NORTH. SO IT
IS. IT IS A CRISIS FOR US TO SEE
THIS AND TO SEE THAT AND FOR
WHERE I LIVE. I'M OFF THE BEATEN
PATH WHERE I LIVE. YOU CAN IT'S
HARD TO FIND MY HOUSE, BUT I SEE
THESE INDIVIDUALS. WALKING DOWN
THE ROAD WITH BACKPACKS WERE MY
DAUGHTER WALKS. SO IT IS CLOSE
TO HOME FOR ME. AND WHAT CAN WE
DO? WE'RE IN A PUBLIC LOSS TO 80
STATE. WE HAVE A SECURITY FORCE.
TO OBSERVE AND REPORT WE CANNOT
ARREST THESE PEOPLE. WE CANNOT
WE CAN CALL BUT THEN SOME OF
THEM SLIP THROUGH AND SOME OF
THESE PEOPLE ARE BRINGING THESE
DRUGS ONTO OUR COMMUNITY. SO
THERE'S MULTIPLE FACETS OF THIS
THAT WE HAVE ISSUES OF PROBLEMS
WITH ADDICTION AND TRYING TO
KEEP THESE PEOPLE OUT OF HERE.
ALSO I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE
TIME. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE
START OF OUR WELLNESS CENTER WAS
DONE BY A GRASSROOTS EFFORT. IN
THE EVENTS OF THESE WHERE WE HAD
LOST INDIVIDUALS. WE STARTED. A
GRASSROOTS SORT OF COMMUNITY
MEETING WHERE WE WOULD POTLUCK.
FOOD IN AND SIT AND TALK. ABOUT
THIS AMONGST OURSELVES, HAS SOME
PRETTY GOOD DISSIPATION. BUT I
WANTED TO PRECURSOR FOR
INTRODUCING TRIBAL MOVING DANIEL
ESPINOSA THAT SHE WAS ONE OF THE
CATALYSTS OF THAT. IN ADDITION
TO THAT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT CAME FROM THAT WAS THAT WE
PASSED A RESOLUTION BY OUR
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP THAT A DRUG.
OFFENSE WHETHER IT BE DEALING
USING, OR WHATEVER GOES FROM 0
TO 100, OUR FINE SYSTEM, WHICH
IS THE ONLY SORT OF SANCTIONS WE
CAN IMPOSE AS A TRIBE TO OUR
MEMBERS. SO YOU DO THIS. YOU
CLEARLY. ABUSE THIS ORDINANCE,
YOU'RE FINE TO THE HIGHEST ORDER
THAT WE CAN FIND IT. AND WE DID
THAT AS A COMMUNITY. AS ONE SORT
OF MEASURES TO TRY TO BATTLE
THIS THIS WHOLE CRISIS THAT
WE'RE IN. WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE DANIEL ESPINOSA. TO
GIVE HER TESTIMONY. HOW TO
HELLO. AND THANK YOU. FOR
COMING. HMM. BACK IN 2020. AH!
WHEN COVID FIRST STARTED AH! I
LOST MY SON. YEAH. EVERYTHING
WAS SHUT DOWN. MY SON HAD COME
OUT OF REHAB AND WAS GOING TO
ANOTHER REHAB TO GET A JOB. AND
HE WAS REALLY HAPPY. HE WAS
SAYING, YOU KNOW THAT HE GOT
THIS. AND HE HAD LEFT THE REHAB
AND. WITH THE WRONG GUYS.
SOMETHING HAPPENED AT THE OTHER
REHAB. HE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE
AT THE WRONG TIME. HE USED
AGAIN. HE WAS CLEAN. AND HE
OVERDOSE HEROIN. YEAH. HE DIDN'T
HAVE NO IDEA. SO, UH, DURING
COVID. EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT.
SO, UH, THEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH
TRIBAL CHAIRMAN CHRISMAN. UM
THEY HEARD THAT HE WAS FROM THE
HOUSE THEY CALL THE CASINO
CASINO IS SHUT DOWN. SO SECURITY
WENT TO, UM TRIBAL OFFICE. AND
WE HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING UP.
MYSELF AND TRIBAL COUNCIL TRYING
TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO, UH
STOP THE DRUGS OUT HERE. ALL THE
YOUNG KIDS ARE OVERDOSING EVERY
WEEK, THERE'S TWO OR THREE
OVERDOSES. AND COME FROM A BIG
FAMILY. ALL MY NEPHEWS. ALMOST
OH, MY NEPHEWS ARE USING. IF
IT'S NOT METHODS. FETE KNOWLEDGE
BLUES. IT'S WHATEVER THEY CAN
GET THEIR HANDS ON IT AND THEY
CAN GET IT VERY FREELY OUT HERE.
I MEAN, THEY CAN HAVE IT DROPPED
OFF AND OUTSIDE OF THEIR GATE OR
WHATEVER. SO IT'S REALLY A BIG
PROBLEM, AND I SEEN IT WHEN MY
KIDS WERE GROWING UP. I HAVE
SEVEN CHILDREN AND THEY WERE ALL
IN THEIR TEENS. AND THIS AND ALL
THIS. THESE DRUGS THAT ARE OUT
AND THE KIDS ARE OVERDOSING. I
WENT TO CHAIRMAN. AND ASK THEM
WHAT WE COULD DO. SO WE DID
START, YOU KNOW. GATHERING THE
PEOPLE SEEING COMING TOGETHER
TRYING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
TRYING TO GET STRONG AS A
COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT WE COULD
DO, YOU KNOW? BUT ANYWAY, UM. MY
SON WAS USING REALLY BAD AT THAT
TIME, AND I KNEW SOMETHING HAD
TO BE DONE. AND I KNEW SOMETHING
WAS GONNA HAPPEN. TRIBAL
CHAIRMAN CAME TO MY HOUSE TWO
DAYS LATER AFTER HE HAD PASSED
AND SAID AH! YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
RUBEN SPOTTY. AND I WAS JUST
LIKE WE WERE ALREADY TRYING TO
SEE WHAT WE COULD DO, AND SO. I
TRIED TO, UM. WELL I TOLD MYSELF
I WOULD TRY TO HELP. OUT HERE
WITH THE REST OF THE KIDS OUT
HERE. BUT IT'S STILL AN ONGOING
THING. THEY'RE STILL CAN GET THE
DRUGS. THEY'RE LOSING THEIR
MINDS OUT HERE. THESE DRUGS JUST
TAKE THEM. IT'S NOT LIKE BACK IN
THE DAY. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
YOU HAD A BIG PARTY. EVERYBODY'S
THERE. YOU'RE LAUGHING. THEY GO
BY THEMSELVES, AND THEY JUST GET
HIGH AND THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT
ANYTHING. SO UM, THIS SOLUTIONS
I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TRYING TO BRING THE PEOPLE
TOGETHER. AND SEE WHAT WE CAN
DO, YOU KNOW, TO HELP OUR
CHILDREN. UM. THERE'S SOME WAY
WE COULD STOP THE DRUGS FROM
COMING. INTO THIS COUNTRY. UM
MAYBE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM
REHAB, NOT JUST TWO WEEKS A
MONTH. SO YOU KNOW, WE NEED LIKE
AT LEAST A YEAR AND REHAB. YOU
KNOW, THEY GO TO REHAB. THEY GET
OUT. THEY FALL RIGHT BACK INTO
THE SAME STUFF. YOU KNOW, WE
NEED LIKE PROFESSIONAL MENTAL
HEALTH PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP YOU
KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH. IT'S
ANOTHER BIG ISSUE OUT HERE. IT
WAS JUST HUGE. IT'S A REAL
CRISIS AND IT'S SAD TO SEE THE
BROKEN FAMILIES FROM THE DRUGS
OUT HERE. SO, UM. THAT'S WHAT I
SEE OUT HERE IS I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE SOLUTION IS. I DON'T
KNOW, BUT AS A PEOPLE. I THINK
WE CAN BRING EACH OTHER TOGETHER
AND TALK. AND JUST LIKE WE'RE
DOING HERE AND SEE YOU KNOW HOW
TO MOVE FORWARD HOW TO GET TO
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR CRISSMAN,
CHAIRMAN CHRISMAN AND MRS
ESPINOZA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR COURAGE
AND SHARING AND SO SORRY FOR
YOUR LOSS. AH! COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MEMBERS IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THIS
COMMITTEE I'M SORRY FOR THIS
PANEL. THANK YOU, DANIEL FOR
SHARING YOUR STORY AGAIN. UM I
THINK THE CHAIRMAN WAS ALLUDING
TO SOME WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING
AND THEY KNOW, UM YOU WERE
SAYING, SAYING THE STORIES WAS
QUITE MUST BE QUITE
OVERWHELMING, BUT JUST CURIOUS
IF YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT SOME OF THAT WORK YOU
TALKED ABOUT. COMING TOGETHER.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT, UM IF YOU
CAN ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU
DOING AS YOU'RE COMING TOGETHER
IN THIS GRASSROOTS EFFORT AND
WHAT ARE YOU HOPING? IT LEADS TO
IN TERMS OF A SPACE TO
ACCOMPLISH. THE GOAL OF REDUCING
THE IMPACTS, I ASSUME. PLEASE
TURN. SO SHE WAS THE CATALYST ON
THE FIRST GRASSROOTS. WE'RE
HAVING THESE THESE NIGHTS. WHERE
WE WOULD HAVE A POTLUCK DINNER
AND THAT WE WOULD GET TOGETHER
AND DISCUSS THIS CRISIS AS IT
STANDS SOME OTHER THINGS, TOO,
BUT MOSTLY HAVING TO DO WITH
THIS CRISIS ITSELF. AND HOW ARE
WE GOING TO COME ABOUT THIS?
WHAT? DID COME FROM THAT WAS
THAT RESOLUTION. FOR THE FINDING
PROCESS ON SPECIFIC DRUG ISSUES
THAT WE TAKE THAT. FROM THERE IS
NO LEADING UP. NO WARNING. THEY
VIOLATE. THEY ARE FINE TO THE
HIGHEST FINDS FINDS THAT WE CAN
ADMINISTER THAT WAS THE FIRST WE
WERE STILL MEETING. AND THEN IT
WAS ALSO THE BEGINNINGS OF THIS
OTHER GRASSROOTS WELLNESS CENTER
THAT IS NOW OPEN. THAT WE'RE
HAVING, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN
WELLNESS. WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND
IT INTO HEALTH, BUT ALSO FOR
TALKING CIRCLES THAT THEY'RE
DOING AND WOMEN'S AND THINGS OF
THAT NATURE AND THAT IS WORKING
AS WE SPEAK. WE'RE HOPING TO
EXPAND IT, AND EVEN MORE WERE
HOPING TO TAKE MORE GRANT FUNDS.
TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE
ROBUST FOR THE GENERAL HEALTH OF
OUR COMMUNITY. NOT JUST IN
DRUGS, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE AND
WELLNESS AND HEALTH. AND
EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A
LOT OF ISSUES WITH DIFFERENT
DIABETES AND OTHER THINGS, SO
WE'RE LOOKING TO EXTEND BUT THE
DEAL WAS VERY, VERY MUCH THE
CATALYST IN THAT WE SIT DOWN AND
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT WE GO
THROUGH THIS. AND WE DISCUSSED
IT AND SO WE ACTUALLY WENT
THROUGH AND BROUGHT THIS TO
FRUITION TO OPEN THE CENTER TO
START WITH AS THE FIRST CONTACT
FOR SOMEBODY NEEDING HELP. SIT
DOWN, TALK TO SOMEBODY FROM
THERE. WE CAN TRY TO CHANNEL
THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHERE THEY
CAN GO INTO INPATIENT TREATMENT
. IF IF POSSIBLE. IT IS IT ISN'T
A. IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY
HAVE TO CHOOSE, SO THEY CANNOT.
WE CANNOT MAKE THEM GO. BUT THIS
IS OUR HANDS OUT TO THEM. ONE OF
THE MAIN THINGS WITH US BECAUSE
WE ARE A VERY TIGHT KNIT
COMMUNITY. WE ARE A SMALL TRIBE.
AND WE ALL HAVE GROWN UP
TOGETHER, ALL OF US. SO WHAT ONE
OF THE MESSAGES THAT I LEFT OUT
WAS LOOK BECAUSE WE HAD A SERIES
OF DEATHS EVEN OVER THE YEARS, I
SAID EVERY TIME YOU GUYS DO
THAT, YOU TAKE A CHANCE. YOU GET
IN A CAR UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
YOU KNOW WE'RE WITH YOU. WE ARE
SITTING THERE WITH YOU. YOU JUST
DON'T KNOW IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE
TO PICK UP THE PIECES. AND SO
THAT IS THE MAIN MESSAGE TO GET
ACROSS TO NOT JUST TO THE ALL OF
US, THE ELDERS OF THE GROUP THAT
WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE
YOUTH THAT ARE DOING THIS, TOO.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. AND MS ESPINOSA, I
CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE. THANK YOU
FOR SHARING. UM. WHEN YOU I KNOW
YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PROGRAMS
ARE VOLUNTARY. WHAT WOULD YOU
SAY? IS THE ACCEPTANCE RATE. YOU
HAVE A SENSE OF KIND OF HOW MANY
FOLKS ARE OFFERED. HELP AND WILL
TAKE YOU UP ON IT. AT THIS POINT
, IT'S STILL IN ITS INFANCY
STAGES IT IS UTILIZED IS
UTILIZED, PROBABLY IF I WAS TO
ESTIMATE PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE
25% OF THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE A
LITTLE MORE. I KNOW IT'S NOT
100% AT THIS TIME. UM, THERE WAS
WHEN WE DID HAVE AN OPENING.
THERE WAS QUITE A BIT A BIG
TURNOUT FOR THAT. SO THAT WAS
GOOD TO SEE. UM, WE HAVE TO WE
HAVE TO GET CREATIVE FOR MORE
PARTICIPATION ALSO. BECAUSE WE
WANT TO COVER ALL FACETS. EVEN
THE YOUTH. AND WHAT DO YOU SEE
YOUR KIND OF BARRIERS TO
PARTICIPATION OR PEOPLE COMING
IN? WELL THAT, IN TURN, IS THE
PRECURSOR TO THE ONE OUTSIDE AND
ANONYMITY. IF THEY ARE THERE FOR
THAT, AND THEY DON'T SOME PEOPLE
THEY TAKE THEIR RECOVERY
PERSONAL AND THEY DON'T OVER. DO
NOT WANT EVERYBODY KNOWING THEIR
BUSINESS. HIPAA LAWS AND THOSE
THINGS DO SORT OF APPLY, BUT
THEN IF WE CAN GET THEM
SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHERE THEY CAN
GET THE NEXT STEP, AND THAT'S
WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE NEXT
ONE THAT'S OPENING NEXT MONTH.
HOPEFULLY THANK YOU. I HAVE A
FEW QUESTIONS AND AGAIN THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING AND FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP. IT SOUNDS LIKE
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS HOW. TO
SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
FALLING INTO ADDICTION AND
INTERVENING AT AN AT AN EARLY
LEVEL, EITHER WITH EDUCATION OR
WELLNESS SERVICES. MENTAL HEALTH
. UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE
WELLNESS CENTER IS TAKING A
PROACTIVE ROLE WITH OR HOW DO
YOU THINK ABOUT UH, EDUCATIONAL
EFFORTS AS IT RELATES TO YOUNG
PEOPLE TO TRY TO AVOID THEM FROM
GETTING INTO THIS SITUATION OR
PROVIDE EARLY INTERVENTION ONCE
THEY MAY. START TO BECOME
ADDICTED OR OR OR USE THESE
TYPES OF SUBSTANCES SO BEFORE WE
ACTUALLY TOOK THIS STEP. FORMER
CHAIRMAN PICO WHO'S ALSO MY
UNCLE. HE WAS A LONG TIME
CHAIRMAN HERE. HOSS HAD GOTTEN
INTO THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH.
AND HE WAS CALLING IT WARRIOR
SPIRIT. HE HAD A PANEL HERE THAT
SAT IN THIS VERY ROOM FOR THREE
DAYS, BUT WHAT THEY ATTRIBUTED
TO BECAUSE HE PARTNERED WITH THE
ACES GROUP. AND THEY ATTRIBUTED
THIS IS THE SORT OF
PREDISPOSITION FOR THIS, TOO.
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. AND SO THEY
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL
CHEMICAL SORT OF SORT OF.
CHEMICAL RELEASE THAT HAPPENS IN
THE BRAIN WHEN THEY ARE FACED
WITH CERTAIN ISSUES. THAT IT
PREDISPOSES SOMEBODY TO ACTUALLY
GO AND SELF MEDICAID OR FIGHT OR
FLIGHT. ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WELL. HE WAS ATTRIBUTING HE THEY
ARE NOW TRYING TO TIE THAT TO
THE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. OUR
STORIES ON RESERVATIONS ARE
GENERATIONAL TRAUMA. ALL THE WAY
FROM THE BEGINNING THROUGH
HISTORY AND HOW THINGS WERE SORT
OF DONE. UM YOU KNOW THE STORIES
THAT I HEARD FROM MY
GRANDPARENTS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE
TREATED TO THE BOARDING SCHOOL
ERA ALL THE WAY THROUGH WHEN
THEY FIRST MOVED HERE. THE
IDIOT. THE B I A AGENT. THAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO ADMIT IT FOR THE
MINISTER OF THE FUNDS TO DO
THAT, THAT THEY NEVER GOT ALL OF
THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE
FIRST GROUPS THAT CAME HERE. IN
32. TO MOVE UP HERE HAD NO PLACE
TO LIVE IN 25% OF THEM DIED.
WITNESSING THAT. ALONE WOULD
TRIGGER A NUMBER OF THINGS. MY
GRANDFATHER. MY BOTH
GRANDPARENTS TOLD ME THAT IN
ADDITION TO THAT JUST BEING
HOSTILE STORY ALONE WATCHING THE
WATCHING THE CEMETERY BE EXHUMED
AND WE RELOCATED RIGHT THERE AS
A CHILD. WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO
YOU? WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO
ANYONE? SO CHAIRMAN PIMCO'S SORT
OF. METHOD SEEMED A LITTLE MORE
SENSIBLE ABOUT HOW THAT COULD BE
CARRIED ON AND PERPETUATED. IF.
WE HAVE A WHOLE SERIES OF EVENTS
LIKE THAT THAT ARE SO TRAUMATIC
OR HORRIFIC THAT YOU SHOULD
NOBODY SHOULD SEE. BUT I KNEW
PEOPLE THAT SAW THOSE EVENTS.
AND TO WITNESS SOME OF THAT, AND
THEN IT'S A VICIOUS CYCLE WITH
THAT POVERTY WILL WILL BE PART
OF THAT, AND WE LIVED IT. THOSE
IN OUR GENERATION. WE LIVE THE
POVERTY. WE LIVE IN LOVE.
LUCKILY, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A
WAY TO PROVIDE MORE. NOW FOR
PEOPLE MORE FOR OUR PEOPLE. BUT
STILL THOSE THOSE SCARS FROM
TRAUMA STILL EXISTS IN OUR
COMMUNITY VERY MUCH SO. OH, I
WONDER IF YOU COULD SPEAK A BIT
ABOUT THE TYPE OF COORDINATION
AND COLLABORATION THAT EXISTS.
UH I WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE MAY
BE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART
OF THE TRAVEL COMMUNITY HERE WHO
END UP TOUCHING OTHER SYSTEMS.
YOU KNOW, COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT
, MAYBE CERTAIN TYPES OF
INTERVENTIONS ARE HAPPENING OFF
OF THIS AREA. AND IS THERE A
COORDINATION OR COLLABORATION
THAT EXISTS ARE AROUND THIS
PARTICULAR ISSUE, EITHER WITH
THE COUNTY OR COUNTY HEALTH
SERVICES OR IF SOMEONE WITHIN
COURT SYSTEMS AND THEN AND THEN
IN ADDITION TO THAT I KNOW ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WERE LOOKING
TO HERE IS HOW WE CAN WORK WITH
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE
STATE ON ON THIS ISSUE, AND I
WONDER IF THERE HAS BEEN A
DIALOGUE BETWEEN TRIBES ABOUT
THIS ISSUE AND HOW YOU ALL CAN
WORK TOGETHER AND SHARE BEST
PRACTICES, SO I SIT ON JUST
LITERALLY TWO MILES ON THE SAME
ROAD WHERE WE'RE WE ARE AND
WILLOWS ROAD. THE SOUTHERN
INDIAN HEALTH COUNCIL ARE INDIAN
HEALTH SERVICES DOLLARS ARE
FUNNELED THERE. WE THAT IS. A
CONSORTIUM OF SEVEN TRIBES THAT
DOES THE SAME THING. SO WE
COLLABORATE. ALL THROUGH THE
MONTH. ON A REGULAR BASIS. I AM
THE REPRESENTATIVE OF FOR THE
BOARD. AND THE VICE CHAIRMAN
SERVES AS THE ALTERNATE. WE DO
DO THAT AMONGST HERE. I ALSO SIT
ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIBAL
CHAIRMAN'S ASSOCIATION WHERE WE
DO THE SAME THING ON A MORE
GLOBAL SCALE IN THIS REGION,
WHERE YOU HAVE A MEMBERSHIP OF
ABOUT 34 TRIBES. WE ALL HAVE THE
SAME PROBLEM. WE ALL AND WE ALL
THERE IS ONE I THINK OUT OF THE
STATE OR AT LEAST OUT OF THE
COUNTY. BUT WE ALL ARE PUBLIC
LAW, 2 80. IN THAT IT'S A FINE
LINE WITH THAT, SO SOME TRIBES
CAN AFFORD A POLICE FORCE, BUT
THEY ARE ALSO LIMITED. SOME
TRIBES. HAVE OTHER SPECIAL DUTY
OFFICERS THAT ARE ABLE TO DO
THAT. WE HAVE A SECURITY OR
FORCE WE HAVE THEN IN
DISCUSSIONS AT LENGTH, SINCE I
HAVE GOTTEN BACK INTO OFFICE IN
2019 WITH THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT. AND THE COUNTY BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON REGULAR BASIS.
WE ARE GOOD WITH OPEN DIALOGUE
BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T EXIST. IN
THE BEGINNINGS OF MY COUNCIL
TENURE. SO TOO. I THINK WE WILL
COME TO A RESOLUTION. WE HAVE
HAD A NUMBER OF ELECTED
OFFICIALS OUT HERE ASKING TO
HELP IN THIS EVENT OR IN THIS,
UH, THIS FACILITY THAT'S
OPENING. THERE HAVE BEEN
DIALOGUE THERE HAS BEEN WITH THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
THE SHERIFF AND EVEN THE ALCOHOL
POLICE DEPARTMENT. EFFORTS THAT
WE CAN COLLABORATE AND COME TO.
COME TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY
AROUND THERE ALSO. SO IT IS. IT
DOES EXIST NOW. HAS IT. IT HAS
NOT FARED ANY FRUIT YET. SO I
HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE ARE WORKING, AND SO WE
KEEP HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN
HAVE THIS DIALOGUE. AND STILL I
DON'T KNOW THAT WILL ERADICATE
IT, BUT AT LEAST PROVIDE SOME
SORT OF SOLUTION TO MAKE THE
NUMBERS GO DOWN EXPONENTIALLY.
UM. I KNOW ONE OF ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, MISS
ESPINOSA IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR
A LONGER TERM SET OF TREATMENT
AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET PEOPLE
HELP SO THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST
CYCLING IN AND OUT. UH, OH,
WONDERFUL FOR BOTH OF YOU IF AH
, IF YOU HAVE SEEN, UH
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT REFER REFERRALS
CAN BE MADE FROM THE WELLNESS
CLINIC, OR IS THERE KIND OF A
GAP THAT YOU SEE IN THE TYPE OF
TREATMENT PLACEMENTS THAT PEOPLE
NEED AND? AND MAYBE IF THERE
WERE THINGS THAT YOU FELT THAT
UM, WOULD HAVE BEEN WOULD HAVE
MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR SON
IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU THINK
THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR
OTHERS. UP RIGHT NOW, UM, THE
REHAB IS THROUGH OUR TRIBAL
INSURANCE. AND IT ONLY COVERS. I
THINK AT THE MOST A MONTH WHICH
YEAH. IT'S NOT ENOUGH. I'VE SEEN
OTHER TRIBAL MEMBERS THAT HAVE
GONE OUT OF THE STATE TO LIKE.
NATIVE AMERICAN A REHAB. AND
THEY'VE SPENT LIKE, SIX MONTHS A
YEAR THERE AND THEY DO VERY
GOOD. SO, UM. YEAH, WE CAN GET
LONG TERM. WITH REGARD TO THE
INSURANCE, UM ITSELF. SO WHAT IS
THE INSURANCE? I GUESS IT'S NOT
A LAW BUT THE INSURANCE STANDARD
IT COVERS. ANNUALLY. 30 DAYS,
INPATIENT. BUT IN I'VE ALWAYS
SAID THAT WE DON'T WE DO NOT. IT
DOES NOT. COVER US COMPLETELY
SEEN PEOPLE WASH OUT OF THAT.
HAVE TO WAIT. AND SO EVEN BEFORE
THIS CRISIS, IT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S
INTENSIFIED 10 TIMES, IF NOT
EVEN MORE WITH THE FENTANYL
CRISIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE
THESE PEOPLE AND YOU LOOK INTO
THEIR EYES. THEY NEED HELP. THEY
CANNOT PROCESS SOME THINGS AND
THEY'RE SEEING THINGS AND
HEARING VOICES AND ALL OF THIS.
AND THEY NEED TIME TO GET OFF OF
THIS. DRUG AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT
TAKES LONGER NOW. SO IF I COULD
ARTICULATE ONE THING ABOUT THAT
ISSUE THEY NEED MORE TIME AND
PROBABLY MORE HELPS AND SOME
MEDICATION TO HELP THEM WIN
THEMSELVES OFF OF THAT, AND THEN
AND BECAUSE WITH EVERY DRUG
ADDICT THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED,
I'VE NEVER HAD THE ISSUE MYSELF.
BUT THERE IS A MOMENT OF
CLARITY. THEY WILL THEY HAVE A
PLAN. MOST OF THEM HAVE A PLAN
TO GO GET SOBER OR TO GET CLEAN.
AND THEY'RE THEY'RE WORKING
TOWARDS THAT IT HAPPENS IN STEPS
FOR THEM SOMETIMES. BUT WITH
THIS NEW DRUG. IT'S YOU CAN I
DON'T SEE ANY CLARITY. THAT I'VE
SEEN IN LOOKING INTO THE EYES OF
THESE PEOPLE. AND WE'RE TRYING.
WE'RE THERE TO HELP THEM AND SO
THEY DO COME TO US. THANK YOU
AND I, YOU KNOW SOME OF THE
MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING
AT THE STATE LEVEL. AH AND THERE
ARE BELIEVE OVER 25 BILLS. THIS
SESSION, STILL MOVING THAT WE
HOPE TO GET SIGNED INTO LAW THAT
RELATE TO RESPONDING TO THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC. ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THAT I FOCUSED ON A
LOT IN MY WORK THIS YEAR HAS
BEEN PROVIDING MORE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCESS TO
MEDICATION. ASSISTED TREATMENT
REALLY HITS ON WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, WHICH IS THAT IN ORDER
TO EVEN HAVE THAT MOMENT OF
CLARITY WHERE WE CAN REACH
SOMEONE OFTEN, WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO HELP THEM. DEAL WITH NOT
ONLY GETTING AWAY FROM THE THESE
DEADLY DRUGS BUT BEING ABLE TO
DEAL WITH THE WITHDRAWAL
SYMPTOMS THAT ARE THAT IS
CAUSING THEIR BODY TO REALLY
FORCE THEM TO DO NOTHING ELSE
BUT TRY TO GET THAT DRUG TO BE
ABLE TO DEAL WITH THOSE
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS. UH THERE
ARE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR
OPIOID ADDICTION, BUPRENORPHINE
SUBOXONE, UH, THIS IS A TYPE OF
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT. I
CAN DEAL WITH THOSE WITHDRAWAL
SYMPTOMS AND THEN CAN HELP TO
OVERTIME. UH, GET UH,
INDIVIDUALS OFF OF THESE DEADLY
DRUGS ENTIRELY. SO ONE OF THE I
HAVE SOME LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
ALLOW MOBILE PHARMACIES TO CARRY
THESE TYPE OF MEDICATIONS AND
OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN LOWER
BARRIERS TO ACCESS. AND SO WHEN
WE GO TO THE CLINIC TODAY, AND
HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALSO HAVE A
DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT
THE SORT OF PARTNERSHIP THAT CAN
EXIST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
APPROPRIATE UM AND MOST
EFFECTIVE FORMS OF INTERVENTIONS
ARE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE
TO, UH TO TRIBAL MEMBERS. AH
WITH THAT. I WANT TO THANK BOTH
OF YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND CERTAINLY
YOU HAVE OUR COLLECTIVE
COMMITMENT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT
WE CAN TO RESPOND TO THIS
EPIDEMIC AND TO SAVE LIVES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, NOW I
WANT TO MOVE ON TO OUR TO OUR
SECOND PANEL, WHICH IS ON
ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATION AND
FOR THIS PANEL. WE WANT TO
WELCOME THE SHERIFF OF SAN DIEGO
COUNTY, KELLY MARTINEZ. AH AND
AH! UNRELATED SAVINO MARTINEZ,
TRAVEL PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE
TOOL, A RIVER TRIBAL COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
. SHERIFF MARTINEZ. WELCOME TO
THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT'S REALLY
A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE
AS PART OF THIS EFFORT AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR
TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. SORRY
SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. CHAIR AND THANK YOU
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S FOR HAVING ME
HERE TODAY. THIS IS, UM JUST
REALLY KNOW IN EPIDEMIC, BUT
IT'S JUST HORRIFIC. WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES?
SAN DIEGO HAS BEEN HIT VERY HARD
BY FENTANYL. NOT ONLY OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES, BUT ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES AS THE SHERIFF OF
SAN DIEGO COUNTY. I'M
RESPONSIBLE FOR 4200 SQUARE
MILES OF UNINCORPORATED SAN
DIEGO COUNTY. UH PUBLIC SAFETY
SERVICES FOR 18 TRIBAL
RESERVATIONS, AS WELL AS NINE
CONTRACTS CITIES I
RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR JAILS AND
OUR COURTHOUSE SECURITY. UM. AS
A SHERIFF. NOT ONLY DO I UPHOLD
PUBLIC SAFETY BY REMOVING THE
DRUGS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT
I'M ALSO ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO
THE VICTIMS OF FENTANYL
ADDICTION AND FENTANYL OVERDOSES
IN 2017. WE WERE THE FIRST, UM,
DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE AN
OVERDOSE DEATH AS A HOMICIDE.
THAT'S NOW THE MODEL IN SAN
DIEGO COUNTY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING
WITH OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND
THE U. S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. ON
PROSECUTION OF THOSE CASES.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS. I
HAVE A BORDER CRIMES SUPPRESSION
TEAM THAT'S WORKING VERY HARD AT
THE BORDER WITH OUR FEDERAL,
STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO STOP
FENTANYL AND OTHER DRUGS AND
OTHER CRIMES. HONESTLY FROM
ENTERING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES,
WE HAVE SEIZED JUST THIS YEAR
ALONE, ALMOST 4 MILLION FENTANYL
PILLS AT THE BORDER. UM YOU
KNOW, WE SEE MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. WE SEE A LOT OF
TRAFFICKING ACROSS THE BORDER,
AND IT NOT ONLY COMES INTO SAN
DIEGO COMMUNITIES, BUT IT MOVES
THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AND GOES
THROUGH THE REST OF THE STATE.
THE NATION. UM IN ADDITION TO
THAT, SOMETHING THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT HASN'T HISTORICALLY,
UM DONE IS WE REALLY WORK HARD
ON HARM REDUCTION. WE WERE THE
FIRST AGENCY IN THE STATE TO
START DISTRIBUTING NALOXONE AND
THAT WAS FOR HEROIN. AT THE
TIME. WE NOW LEAVE IT BEHIND. WE
HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT LEAVE
BEHIND PROGRAM IN OUR IN OUR
COUNTY, WHERE IF WE IDENTIFY A
HOME THAT WE'RE IN OR SOMEBODY
WANTS NALOXONE, WE FREELY GIVE
IT OUT. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
THAT'S WORKING. OKAY WE'RE STILL
LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 800
FENTANYL DEATHS IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. WE'RE PROBABLY ON PAR TO
HAVE ABOUT THE SAME AGAIN THIS
YEAR. WE RESPOND AS I SAID, TO
OVERDOSES WHEN THEY CALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT. WE DON'T GO TO ALL
OVERDOSES IN OUR COMMUNITIES
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE
RESPONSES OF MEDICAL RESPONSE
WHEN WE DO RESPOND TO AN
OVERDOSE DEATH, AS I SAID, WE
INVESTIGATED AS A HOMICIDE. UM
YEAH, I'M REALLY JUST HERE TO
SUPPORT OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
TODAY, BUT ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING
THIS. YOU'RE MEDICATED
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT
PROGRAM IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
. IT'S VERY ROBUST IN THEIR JAIL
SYSTEM. WE'RE EXPANDING THAT AS
AS WE CAN. THE PEACE THAT
SOMETIMES MISSING IS THE
TRANSITION OF THE COMMUNITY FROM
THE JAILS. YES, SO THAT
CONNECTIVITY IS IMPORTANT TO
EXPAND UPON. I THINK WE'RE
WORKING WELL WITH OUR HHS, A
PARTNERS. I HAVE TOURED THE
FACILITY AND ALCOHOL IN THAT THE
HOUSE IS WORKING ON IT. IT'S
GOING TO BE AMAZING ONE SECOND.
IS UP AND RUNNING. I'M REALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT OPENING.
AND BEING PART OF NOT ONLY A
TRANSITION POINT FOR SOME OF OUR
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CUSTODY, BUT
ALSO A CENTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN
AND GET THAT TREATMENT, SO AH,
THANK YOU. I'M SURE YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS. BUT I'LL END THERE
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. SHERIFF
MARTINEZ. I APPRECIATE IT. UM,
MR MARTINEZ. HELLO GOOD MORNING.
DEFINITELY HARD TO FOLLOW.
PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, SHERIFF.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
COMMITTEE. SO ON BEHALF OF THE
TRULY RIVER INDIAN TRIBAL
CALIFORNIA. WHAT WE ARE EXCITED
ABOUT IS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION TO TALK ABOUT.
ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATION. IT'S
KEY. IT'S CRITICAL. IT'S AH.
SEVERAL OF THE COMMENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE THIS MORNING
TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING THIS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN A STRATEGY
COMBINED WITH EXPERTISE WHETHER
IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH LAW
ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATION IS
GOING TO BE ESSENTIAL. SO PRIOR
TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. COVID-19
TULA RIVER INDIAN TRIBAL
CALIFORNIA. WE WERE ENGAGED AND
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. SO THE
COMMUNITY EARLY ON WAS
EXPERIENCING. THE PRESENCE
PREVALENCE OF ELISSA DRUGS. UM.
OVERDOSES WERE SIGNIFICANT. AND
WE ARE VERY RULE ISOLATED
COMMUNITY. UNDERSERVED LIMITED
RESOURCES. HOWEVER YOU KNOW WHEN
WE LOOK AT THE VISION OF THE
GOAL OF THE COMMUNITY ON BEHALF
OF THE LEADERSHIP, SELF
GOVERNANCE, SELF RESILIENCY, SO
THE COMMUNITY HAS CONTINUED TO
BE RESILIENT. DESPITE THE
EMERGENCE OF DIFFERENT THREATS,
DRUGS THAT HAVE MADE THEIR WAY
ONTO THE RESERVATION. SO AGAIN,
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC PROVIDED OUR
COMMUNITY TO REALLY DEVELOP A
COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID RESPONSE
STRATEGY. HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DO
THAT. IS MY INTEGRATING, YOU
KNOW OUR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS,
INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS. AND
REALLY ALLOWING THE GOVERNMENT
TO DEFINE AND PRIORITIZE. WHAT
THEIR VISION IS FOR THE
COMMUNITY. FIRST STARTING WITH
DEVELOPING A SUBSTANCE USED
SUBSTANCE USE ORDINANCE. AND
THAT REALLY SET THE PRESIDENTS
AND DEFINE THE ATTITUDE AND THE
VISION OF THE GOVERNING BODY. ON
WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO ALLOW
AND ENTERTAIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
FOLLOWING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
DEVELOP OUR OPIOID RESPONSE
STRATEGY, INTEGRATING TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
TRAVEL POLICE FIRE. HEALTH
CENTER EMERGENCY SERVICES WITH
OUR AMBULANCE AND ALSO EXPANDING
UPON THAT UM, PART OF THAT
STRATEGY FOCUSED ON CAPACITY
BUILDING. INTEGRATED INDIA
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS. AS UM, MR
CHAIRMAN YOU MENTIONED
INTEGRATING, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL
STATE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES BEYOND THE BEYOND.
THOSE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO
WE DEVELOPED THIS COMPREHENSIVE
OPIOID RESPONSE STRATEGY AND
AGAIN PURSUED EVERY OPPORTUNITY
TO SECURE FUNDING. TO INTEGRATE
SERVICES EXPLORING HOW TO
DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH MEDICATION
ASSISTED TREATMENT. UH INTEGRATE
PROGRAMS PREVENTION EDUCATION
BASED FOR THE YOUTH. AND ALSO
INCREASING AWARENESS ON SOME OF
THE DIFFERENT TRENDS AND THREATS
RELATED TO FENTANYL. SO POST
PANDEMIC COVID-19. UH
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE STILL, YOU
KNOW. RESUMING WHERE WE FOUND
OURSELVES WITH THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC. HOWEVER WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE DATA, THE TRENDS THE
NUMBER OF OVERDOSES THAT HAVE
OCCURRED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. SO
THE NEED FOR INFORMATION SHARING
COLLABORATION AND INTEGRATING
RESOURCES AT ALL LEVELS IS GOING
TO BE KEY. HOW CAN WE HOW CAN WE
BE SUCCESSFUL AND BUILDING
CAPACITY INCREASED IN OUR
CAPABILITIES AND THE SERVICES
THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR
COMMUNITY? BY CONTINUING TO
PURSUE FUNDING. SUSTAINING
PARTNERSHIPS THAT WERE DEVELOPED
PRE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AND
EXPANDING UPON THOSE PARTNERS
THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY. AND ALSO
. AND I'M EXCITED. I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO
THE CLINIC. UH FOLLOWING THIS
MEETING. AND. INTEGRATING YOU
KNOW ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT
CAN PROVIDE SUBSTANCE MISUSE
TREATMENT. SO ONLY AFTER THE
TRIBAL POLICE. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE
BEEN THE SPIRIT. THEY'VE BEEN
THE LEAD AND ALSO DEVELOPING A
PARTNERSHIP TRYING TO EXPAND
INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO
THREATS AND TRENDS THAT WE SEE.
WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY
PARTNERS. AND REALLY FINE TUNING
THE OPIOID RESPONSE STRATEGY
THAT WE DID DEVELOP. SO THAT'S
UH JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF
WHAT WE'VE DONE FROM A LAW
ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATION
PERSPECTIVE. BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT
WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS
A LOOK AT THE TITLE OF THIS, UH,
THIS GATHERING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT FENTANYL, OPIOID
ADDICTION AND OVERDOSE
PREVENTION. SO ONE KEYWORD THAT
WE REALLY PRIORITIZES EDUCATION
BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE IT'S GOING
TO BE GENERATIONAL. AND REALLY
PROVIDING THE PREVENTION, THE
EDUCATION YOUR AWARENESS ON THE
IMPACTS FOCUS ON HARM REDUCTION.
AND THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, LAW
ENFORCEMENT. THEY CAN BE PART OF
THAT EFFORT AND TAKES THE LEAD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND THAT AND THAT OVERVIEW. I'M
SURE THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
REMEMBER SHIVA. YOU I KNOW YOU
WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE EDUCATION PIECE OF IT AND
THE YOUTH EDUCATION. CAN YOU
TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE AND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY
ENTAILS. SO THE ONE OF THE KEY
DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE HOLY
RIVER TRAVEL GOVERNMENT IS OUR
FUTURE GENERATIONS GOVERNMENT.
AND THEY'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL
AND PURSUING GRANTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES TO ADOPT AND
IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE BASED
CURRICULUMS. PROGRAMS UH, FOCUS
ON OUR YOUTH. AND AGAIN, YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE TITLED THE
DEPARTMENT. IT'S A VERY UNIQUE
AND SPECIAL FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SO LOOKING FOR GRANTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES CURRICULUMS THAT
CAN HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT AND
INTERACTION AND ALSO
INCORPORATING THE CULTURAL
COMPONENT. WHETHER IT'S LANGUAGE
, WHETHER IT'S BASKET MAKING
BEAT MAKING SO ALSO INTEGRATING
, YOU KNOW, CULTURE, PART OF THE
EDUCATION TO PREVENTION AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, I'LL JUMP IN THEN. UH,
SO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
YOU YOU ALLUDED TO. SHERIFF
MARTINEZ IS THIS. ISSUE OF
TRANSITIONS FROM YOUR CUSTODY,
TOO. AH TO COMMUNITY CARE, AND
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE OFTEN
HAVE SOME OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES AND UNFORTUNATELY
WHERE WE END UP LOSING A LOT OF
PEOPLE. UH WE HAD A HEARING OUR
FIRST HEARING OF THIS COMMITTEE
A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND YOU KNOW,
WE LOOKED AT THE DATA OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS OF OVERDOSES AND
UH, IT'S HORRIFIC WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE OVERALL INCREASES
OVERDOSES. THERE'S ONE EXCEPTION
, ONE PLACE WHERE OVERDOSES HAVE
ACTUALLY DRAMATICALLY DECLINE
AND THAT'S IN CUSTODY IN IN IN
PRISONS, IN PARTICULAR IN CDCR,
AND IMAGINE THERE'S BEEN A
SIMILAR EFFORTS IN OUR JAILS
CONNECTED TO OUR ABILITY TO
ENROLL PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME
INTO CUSTODY. BUT THEN WHEN THEY
LEAVE CUSTODY, UH, ESPECIALLY IF
THEY DON'T CONTINUE THE
MEDICATION, IT'S ACTUALLY
INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS IF YOU'RE
ON A MEDICATION THAT IS MANAGING
AN ADDICTION, AND YOU GO OFF THE
MEDICATION. THAT'S OFTEN THE
TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE MOST AT
RISK OF OVERDOSES. CAN YOU TALK
A BIT ABOUT HOW YOU THINK ABOUT
THOSE TRANSITIONS, SHERIFF AND
IF THERE ARE PARTICULAR TYPES OF
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION
WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES WITH THE
CLINIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE
THIS AFTERNOON THAT YOU THINK
COULD HELP WITH THAT TRANSITION.
YEAH THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM YES,
CERTAINLY IF SOMEONE'S ON ON
MATT TREATMENT IN OUR CUSTODY,
WE, UH ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A
PROLONGED PERIOD OF THEY'RE IN
OUR CUSTODY FOR A PROLONGED
PERIOD OF TIME THAT THE GAP I
THINK SOMETIMES IT'S WHEN
THEY'RE ONLY IN OUR CUSTODY FOR
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. A COUPLE
OF DAYS OR A WEEK OR TWO. WE
DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THAT
CONNECTIVITY TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
THEY'RE NOT AS COMMITTED TO THE
PROGRAM. SO WHEN THEY GET OUT,
THE TRANSITION ISN'T ALWAYS AS
SMOOTH. WE DO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
SYSTEM HERE AND SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. I BELIEVE WITH THE
TRANSITIONING FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN ON THE PROGRAM FOR A
WHILE, AND OUR MAP EXPANSION IS
REALLY BEEN FAIRLY RECENT. SO
WE'RE STILL COLLECTING DATA ON
THAT. INITIALLY WE STARTED IT
WITH WOMEN WHO WERE PREGNANT IN
OUR CUSTODY. WE CONTINUE THE MAP
PROGRAM THERE AND TOOK THEM TO
CLINIC. NOW WE'RE DOING THE
TREATMENT TREATMENT AND WE HAVE
MODULES IN OUR FACILITIES THAT
ARE THAT MODULES SO EVERYONE IN
THAT MODULE IS IN OUR MAT
PROGRAM. AND SO THE
TRANSITIONING, I THINK WILL BE
SMOOTHER. BUT AGAIN, I THINK
THERE'S WE HAVE A REAL RISK
POPULATION, THE ONES WHO JUST
RECENTLY COME INTO OUR CUSTODY,
AND WE DO DO VOLUNTARY URINE
SCREENING NOW WHEN PEOPLE COME
INTO OUR CUSTODY, SO WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT DRUGS THEY'RE
HONOR. WHAT SUBSTANCE. THEY'RE
USING, AND WE PUT THEM ON
WITHDRAWAL PROTOCOLS IMMEDIATELY
AND GET THEM INTO MATT. AS SOON
AS WE'RE ABLE TO, SO IT'S BEEN
IT'S BEEN WORKING PRETTY WELL.
AND IN TERMS OF, UH PEOPLE WHO
HAVE AH! HIGHER LEVELS OF NEED,
AND I WONDER, UM MR MARTINEZ IF
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
RELEASED, ADDICTED AT A LEVEL
THAT THEY'RE REALLY AT A POINT
OF DANGER TO THEMSELVES, AND YOU
REALLY CONCERNED FOR THEIR
SAFETY, UM DO YOU ALL HAVE? WHAT
SORT OF A AUTHORITY DO YOU HAVE?
AS FAR AS INVOLUNTARY HOLDS, AND
YOU HAVE, DO YOU DO YOU DO THAT
YOURSELF? DO YOU BRING SOMEONE
IN TO DO THAT? YOU KNOW THIS IS
AN AREA AS IT RELATES TO THE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS THAT I'M NOT
AS FAMILIAR WITH THE AUTHORITY
AROUND. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE 51
FIFTIES, AND YOU CAN HOLD
SOMEBODY FOR 72 HOURS. AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT SURE SHERIFF
IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH. WE CAN
ALSO HAVE TWO WEEK HOLDS ARE
THESE IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU
ALL ARE DOING DIRECTLY OR IS
THAT THOSE KIND OF INVOLUNTARY
HOLDS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP OR
YOU REALLY JUST WHEN PEOPLE NEED
HELP, LOOKING MORE AT HOW TO
OFFER THEM THE TYPE OF TREATMENT
THAT WOULD BE MOST AFFECTIVE FOR
THEM, WHETHER WHETHER THEY WANT
TO ACCEPT IT OR NOT. WOULD BE
EXACTLY JUST THAT SO YOU KNOW,
THERE'S THE COMPREHENSIVE TEAM
THAT WILL COME TOGETHER. SO
INTEGRATING OUR DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC SAFETY. OUR HEALTH
CENTERS BEHAVIOR HEALTH
DEPARTMENT. AND REALLY WORKING
WITH PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY
TO REALLY COME UP WITH THE EVERY
AND I WAS THERE. EVERY CASE IS
UNIQUE. BUT COLLABORATIVELY
IDENTIFYING WHAT'S GOING TO BE
THE BEST APPROACH. BUT ALSO
BASED ON THE JURISDICTION. IT'S
TEMPORARY AND THEN WORKING WITH
THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AS WELL
WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSFERRING
CUSTODY. SO IT'S REALLY A
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH IN
TERMS OF HOW TO FIND THE BEST.
PLACEMENT FOR SOMEBODY AND WHAT
AUTHORITY YOU HAVE IN THAT IN
THAT IN THAT CONTEXT, CORRECT
THERE. DO YOU HAVE FACILITIES?
NEAR YOU OR I KNOW WE'RE GOING.
WE'RE GOING TO YOU KNOW THAT
THAT THAT CHAIRMAN UH CHRISMAN
BROUGHT UP THEIR EFFORT TO HAVE
A WELLNESS CENTER ON SITE AND
THEN THIS CLINIC THAT IS NEARBY.
AH! TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT KIND
OF THE DISTANCE FROM WHERE HOW
FAR PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO GET
HELP. AH IN AND KIND OF HOW
YOU'RE CONFRONTING THE ISSUE OF
ISOLATION. SO AGAIN, WE ARE LIKE
MOST ROLE ISOLATED. ABOUT 60
MILES FROM THE NEAREST HOSPITAL
SERVICES. AND, UH SO. PLACEMENT
LOCATION. GEOGRAPHY. UM MAKES IT
PRETTY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS CARE.
UM OFFSITE. HOWEVER INTERNALLY
UTILIZING OUR HEALTH CENTER OR
BEHAVIORAL DEPARTMENT. AND THE
SERVICES SO WE CURRENTLY WE
DON'T HAVE A WELLNESS CENTER.
THAT CAN DO INTAKE. HOWEVER WE
DO HAVE THE COUNSELORS. WE HAVE
THE SECOND PSYCHOLOGISTS. WE DO
HAVE THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE
THEIR MONEY THROUGH FRIDAY. THEY
CAN RECEIVE PATIENTS AND SEE
THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AND IN
THE EVENT, AND THE NEED IS
GREATER COORDINATE WITH LOCAL
SERVICES OR INTAKE FACILITIES TO
DO TRANSFER OR UM, CARE TO
PROVIDE CARE. RIGHT YEAH. 16
MILES AS YET. AND FAR FROM FROM
THE HOSPITAL. UM. SHERIFF
SHIFTING MORE TO THE. THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THIS AND I
MEAN FOR 4 MILLION PILLS IS JUST
MIND MIND BLOWING AMOUNT OF
DRUGS THAT WE KNOW ESPECIALLY
WHEN EACH INDIVIDUAL KILL PILL
CAN KILL. SOMEBODY IS JUST
TERRIFYING. AH! I WONDER IF YOU
COULD SPEAK OF A BIT MORE ABOUT
WHAT YOU SEE WORKING IN TERMS OF
EITHER STOPPING THESE DRUGS FROM
COMING IN, OR DETERRING PEOPLE
WHO ARE SELLING THEM. AND THEN
WITH THAT, WHAT SORT OF SUPPORT
DO YOU NEED? YOU KNOW WORSE UP
HERE AS STATE OFFICIALS. THERE
ARE SOME AREAS I KNOW, FOR
EXAMPLE, AND SAN FRANCISCO.
WE'RE NOW HAVING MORE SUPPORT
FROM THE CHP COMING IN DIRECTLY
AND COORDINATING WITH OUR
SHERIFF AND IN OUR POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE EFFORTS
NOW TO BRING IN FEDERAL
ASSISTANT. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT
WOULD HELP YOU CONFRONT THE
FOLKS WERE WHO ARE BRINGING
THESE DRUGS IN AND SELLING THEM.
YEAH REALLY, UM, THE ADDITIONAL
SO WE HAD THIS SPRING WE HAD THE
BLUE LOTUS OPERATION, WHICH WAS
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CAME TO
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, AND WE HAD A
COORDINATED EFFORT A SURGE,
WHICH WAS I THINK WE SEE IS
£4000 OF FENTANYL DURING THAT
TWO MONTH PERIOD THAT WAS COMING
ACROSS THE BORDER, AND WE THAT
DID HAVE AN EFFECT. WE HAD A
REDUCTION IN OVERDOSES IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. DURING THAT TIME
PERIOD, WE SAW SOME OF THE DRUG
SMUGGLING BEING DIVERTED FROM
OUR BORDER, SO WE KNOW THAT WE
CAN HAVE AN EFFECT WHEN WE
ENFORCE AND DO BORDER
INTERDICTION, BUT NOT ONLY THAT
WE HAVE BODY SMUGGLERS. WE HAVE
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM OUR
SOUTH COUNTY THAT ARE BEING
SOLICITED BY CARTELS TO BRING
DRUGS ACROSS BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THAT ANYONE UNDER 18. IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO PROSECUTE FEDERALLY
FOR DRUG SMUGGLING, SO WE DO
NEED THE ABILITY AT THE STATE
LEVEL TO ENFORCE SOME OF THESE
LAWS. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO
SOMETHING WITH THESE KIDS THAT
ARE BEING BASICALLY PROPOSITION
AND BROUGHT INTO THIS LIFESTYLE
WHERE THEY'RE BEING PAID, AND
THEY'RE BRINGING DRUGS ACROSS.
WE HAD ONE JUVENILE THAT WAS
BODY PACKING. HE HAD PILLS
STRAPPED TO HIS BODY ACROSS THE
BORDER. HE WENT INTO A BATHROOM
AT OUR SOUTH COUNTY. OVERDOSED
IN THE BATHROOM, AND IF THEY
WERE PROVIDING AID, THEY OPENED
HIS SHIRT AND FOUND ALL OF THE
PILLS THAT WERE STRAPPED TO HIS
BODY. SO WE HAVE THESE STORIES
WHERE KIDS ARE BEING INVOLVED.
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HAS SEEN A
1600% INCREASE IN CHILDREN THAT
ARE BEING ADMITTED INTO THE
HOSPITAL WITH FENTANYL IN THEIR
SYSTEM, SO THEY'RE BEING EXPOSED
IN THE HOME. WE REALLY NEED
OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR LAWS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA ARE AS STRONG AS THE
FEDERAL LAWS. IN THIS AREA, SO I
REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH ALL OF YOU AND WHAT THAT
WOULD LOOK LIKE. UM ONE OF THE
THINGS ALONG WITH THAT I HAD OUR
SHERIFF AND IN SAN FRANCISCO
COME FORWARD. AH AND SPEAK TO ME
ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
WITHIN STATE LAW, EVEN HOW WE AH
, CATEGORIZE OR HOW WE DO
BOOKINGS AS IT RELATES TO
FENTANYL. AH THEIR CONCERN WAS
THAT FENTANYL. DESPITE BEING
SUCH A MORE DANGEROUS OF A DRUG
IS SOME CASES GROUPED WITH OTHER
TYPES OF DRUGS AND HOW THE
BOOKINGS ARE DONE. AND THINGS
THAT REALLY DON'T TAKING THE
FOCUS ID AERATION. HOW MUCH MORE
DANGEROUS? THIS DRUG IS. IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT THAT YOU'RE
SEEING, AND AH, I ACTUALLY
INTERESTED TO HEAR AH, MORE
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU TO
INVESTIGATE EVERY OVERDOSE AS A
AS A HOMICIDE. AND DO YOU HAVE
THE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IN
TERMS OF SORT OF RESOURCES, AND
, UH AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, GOING
AND TRYING TO FIND WHERE EXACTLY
THIS CAME FROM, AND IS NOT. I
THINK THE NORMAL USUAL PRACTICE
. UH SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN
TERMS OF INVESTIGATIONS, AND IS
THAT SOMETHING THAT IS IT WAS
SORT OF LEADING TO PROSECUTIONS
IN THAT WAY. YEAH THANK YOU FOR
THAT. WE'VE HAD 34 OVERDOSE.
FENTANYL OVERDOSE DEATHS IN MY
JURISDICTION SO FAR THIS YEAR,
SO I HAVE THE CAPACITY WITH MY
STAFF TO INVESTIGATE EACH ONE OF
THOSE, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE
TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR CELL
PHONES. SOMETIMES IT'S YOU KNOW,
SIMPLY A MATTER OF LOOKING AT
THE SELF HONESTY WHO THEIR
DEALER IS, AND THEN BACKTRACKING
TO THAT DEALER A LOT OF TIMES
WITH THE WAY THE LAWS ARE
WRITTEN. WE HAVE TO REALLY SHOW
A LOT OF INTENT ON THE PART OF
THE DEALER, WHICH IS DIFFICULT.
ESPECIALLY IF WE KNOW THEY'VE
BEEN DEALING FOR A WHILE. SO WE
HAVE SOME INVESTIGATIVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO NAIL
THAT DOWN. UH REGIONALLY, SOME
OF THE OTHER AGENCIES AND OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS HAVE FORMED
WHAT'S CALLED TEAM 10, WHICH IS
A COLLABORATIVE GROUP THAT
INVESTIGATES OVERDOSE DEATHS AND
PRIMARILY SANTIAGO POLICE
DEPARTMENT'S JURISDICTION. BUT
SOME OF THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS
IN OUR AREA THAT I DON'T
OVERSEE, UM AS FAR AS BOOKING
INTO THE JAILS. YEAH FENTANYL IS
A VERY DIFFERENT DRUGS THAN WHAT
WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. AND
SPEAKING OF THAT A LOT OF OUR
MONEY'S FOR ENFORCEMENT ARE
GEARED SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS
METHAMPHETAMINE, WHICH,
HISTORICALLY, THAT WAS ALWAYS
THE PROBLEM DRUG. I THINK WE
NEED TO REWRITE. SOME OF THOSE
ARE COMBAT MONIES AND SOME OF
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE USED FOR
ENFORCEMENT. AND WHY ARE THAT SO
THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR FENTANYL
ENFORCEMENT AS WELL OR ANY DRUG
BECAUSE FENTANYL MIGHT NOT BE
THE LAST DRUG THAT WE HAVE THIS
EXTREME OF A PROBLEM WITH SO
ENFORCEMENT WORKS, AND I DON'T
THINK WE FORGET THAT IN THE
EQUATION OF EDUCATION AND HARM
REDUCTION, I THINK IT'S A THREE
PRONGED STOOL, AND WE NEED TO DO
ALL THREE. MHM AH! MR MARTINEZ
MARTINEZ? I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO
ADD ON THAT WHEN THING THAT IN
TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, IS THERE
ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL ARE SEEING
IN TERMS OF FOR YOU ALL. UH
WHERE, HOW, HOW AND WHERE PEOPLE
ARE ACCESSING THESE DRUGS, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT AH, WE'VE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT IN THIS
COMMITTEE IS THE CHALLENGES OF
REGULATING AND MONITORING ONLINE
ACTIVITY IN IN, YOU KNOW. I COME
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE PEOPLE
, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, OFTEN
ACCESS THESE DRUGS RIGHT OUT ON
THE STREET CORNER. THERE'S OPEN
AIR DRUG MARKETS THAT EVERYONE
CAN SEE WHEN THEY COME INTO OUR
CITY, AND THERE HAVE DEVASTATING
IMPACTS. UM THAT'S NOT HOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OR ACCESSING THESE DRUGS, THERE
ARE DIFFERENT WAYS, PARTICULARLY
WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, DIFFERENT
SORTS OF WAYS THROUGH SOCIAL,
SOCIAL MEDIA, SOCIAL NETWORKS
AND SUCH THAT THEY'RE ACCESSING
. THESE ARE EITHER OF YOU SEEING
THAT AND WHAT IS THERE SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN DO, PARTICULARLY IN
TERMS OF FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
TO TRY TO INTERVENE THERE OR, UM
ENFORCE THAT MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SO I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF
ALL. EVERYTHING THAT'S MENTIONED
WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SOURCE. TÂM
COMMUNITY FAMILY. UM, OFF THE
RESERVATION. SO AVAILABILITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY UNFORTUNATELY, YOU
KNOW IT'S THERE. SO IT'S A
COMBINATION OF ALL THE ABOVE.
YEAH, YEAH. YOU KNOW, I WOULD
SAY THAT'S VERY TRUE. IT'S VERY
EASY TO BUY NOT ONLY ONLINE SO
WHEREVER WE CAN EXPLORE THAT,
BUT HONESTLY OF FENTANYL PILL
COST 60 CENTS RIGHT NOW, THE
SCALE OF THIS PROBLEM IS HUGE,
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPACTFUL THAT ALL OF US ARE
COMING TOGETHER TO WORK ON IT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOU
BEING HERE AND FOR ENGAGING WITH
US ON THESE SOLUTIONS, AND I'M
SURE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER
WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO OUR
THIRD PANEL, AND WE HAVE VICE
CHAIRMAN NIETO OF THE TOOL, A
RIVER TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA, AND
GREG GREENBERG, THE CHIEF
MEDICAL OFFICER. FOR ONE
TOGETHER SOLUTIONS. WELCOME AND
I WILL ASK. AH MR VICE CHAIRMAN
TO START. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE
TO THANK THE TRIBE FOR ALLOW ME
AS A ANOTHER NATIVE AMERICAN.
THIS PERSON TO BE ON THEIR LAND.
YOU KNOW, UM MR CHAIRMAN
CHRISMAN AND ESPINOSA FOR UM.
HER TESTIMONY. UM, YOU KNOW,
IT'S HARD TO FOR ME AS A NATIVE
MAN OR JUST A HUMAN BEING IN
GENERAL TO HEAR A WOMAN CRY AND
TO SEE YOUR WHOLE BACK OF TEARS.
SO UM, I'M RIGHT WITH YOU ON
THAT. AND STOPPING THIS WITH YOU
GUYS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS
FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. YOU
KNOW, I'VE SEEN MR PATTERSON ON
A CHANNEL 26 AND, UH, THE
PRESIDENT STATION. UM AND WHEN
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT GETTING
THESE DRUG DEALERS TO FENTANYL
PUSHERS TO GET LIFE IN PRISON. I
WAS I WATCHED THAT BILL AND
WATCHED YOUR BILL SYRIA, MR
HANEY. YOU GUYS PUTTING THESE
THINGS TOGETHER, AND I WAS
DISGUSTED THAT IT DIDN'T PASS. I
DIDN'T HAD I DON'T LIKE POLITICS
WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, BECAUSE
WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT AND
THIS DRUGS ARE VERY EVIL DRUG
AND IT'S NOTHING LIKE YOU KNOW,
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP ON THE
RESERVATION, MY FAMILIES WHO
HAVING BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND
PARTIES IN GENERAL AND AS KIDS,
WE WOULD SNEAK BEER OUT OF THE
ICE CHESTS. YOU KNOW THESE KIDS
NOWADAYS THERE? GETTING THIS
SPLITTING OFF FROM EVERYWHERE.
IT'S EVERYWHERE. YOU CAN'T GO
ANYWHERE WITHOUT IT. AND THEY'RE
MAKING. UH, THE DRUGS LOOK LIKE
HANDY NOW AND SO. YOU KNOW, A
LITTLE BABY PICS THAT THAT
THREAT AND ALL THAT HE THEY'RE
PRETTY MUCH DONE. BUT YOU KNOW,
I'M HERE ON THE HEALTH PART
BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL. I USED
TO RUN THE TRAP PROGRAM. IT'S
CALLED IT TO LIVER ALCOHOLISM
PROGRAM, AND IT'S CALLED THE
TUBULAR ALCOHOLISM PROGRAM. IT'S
BECAUSE BACK IN 1979 WHEN IT WAS
STARTED. ALCOHOL WAS THE DRUG OF
CHOICE ON OUR RESERVATION, AND
THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WAS
PRETTY MUCH THERE. NOWADAYS
EVERYTHING IS THERE. BUT
FENTANYL HAS WIPED OUT. UM
ALCOHOL. IT'S WIPED OUT, UM,
MARIJUANA, IT'S WIPED OUT
HEROIN. AND IT'S WIPED OUT CRANK
AND COKE. AND SO IT'S THOSE
THOSE DRUGS HARDLY EXISTS ON
ARIAS ANYMORE BECAUSE OF IT AND
ALL YOU KNOW IT'S SO CHEAP AND
IT'S SO DANGEROUS THAT, YOU
KNOW, SAY THE FIVE OF YOU THIS
CELL THIS. ALL THE KIDS ARE
DOING IT ON A RESERVATION.
THERE'S FIBER YOU SAVE YOU GUYS
ARE ALL BUDDIES. MR ALVAREZ
WOULD TAKE THE FIRST HIT. AND I
FORGOT YOUR NAME, MA'AM, BUT SHE
WOULD BE NEXT WITH THE NORTH.
CAN'T MAKE SURE MR ALVAREZ WHEN
HE STARTS OVERDOSING TO SHOOT
THE NORTH CHIANA AND SO THEN SHE
TAKE HER PILL. JUST GO ALONG,
AND THEY JUST KEEP NOR CAN EACH
OTHER UNTIL IT GETS BACK TO THE
NEXT PERSON. AND SO IF THAT
PERSON IS NOT DONE LIKE, SAY, MR
ALVAREZ HE WAS SUPPOSED TO. NOR
CAN, MR PATTERSON IF HE'S NOT
DONE WITH THIS COMING OUT OF HIS
OVERDOSE. MR PATTERSON IS
PROBABLY GOING TO OVERDOSE AND
EITHER DIE OR GO TO THE HOSPITAL
, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S AND THEY
KNOW THAT THAT THAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN, BUT THEY STILL TAKING
THIS DRUG BECAUSE IT'S SO
ADDICTIVE, TOO. TO TAKE. IT'S,
UH IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF
YOU'RE GONNA PUT DOWN HEROIN AND
OTHER DRUGS TO TAKE THIS PILL,
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETIMES
YOU WISH THEY'D JUST GO BACK TO
SMOKING WEED, YOU KNOW, ARE ARE
DOING HEROIN OR ARE BEING ON
METHADONE AND IT'S AND IT'S
PRETTY CRAZY THAT YOU KNOW, THEY
KNOW THIS. THIS PILL COULD CAUSE
DEATH AND, UH THEY STILL TAKE
IT, YOU KNOW. AND LIKE MR
CHAIRMAN, CHRISTMAS, SAYING, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE THE RED ZOMBIES.
WE CALL HIM THE RED ZOMBIES
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY THERE'S
NOTHING REALLY COULD DO FOR ME
BECAUSE I TOOK SO MUCH FIT AND
ALL THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY 51 50
STATE OF MIND AND WE CAN'T
REALLY HELP THEM WITH THE TRAP
PROGRAM BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BUILT
DIAGNOSIS WERE PSYCHOSIS AND
OTHER THINGS. SO WITH THE
CLINICS, HELP OF SENATE AND OUR
PEOPLE TO THE PEOPLE THERE FOR
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THAT DO A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT STYLE.
UM IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH. YOU
KNOW, IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH TO
HELP OUR PEOPLE AND THERE THEY
HANG OUT EVERYWHERE. AND IT'S
SAD BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HELP
THEM. BUT YOU YOU CAN'T BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE NOT IN THE
STATE OF MIND WHERE THEY CAN
RECOGNIZE, HALT OR EVEN
RECOGNIZE TREATMENT BECAUSE
THEY'RE THEY'RE SO FAR GONE.
THAT THEY ARE DOING IS LOOKING
FOR THAT. THAT NEXT FIX AND
CHASING THAT HIGH, AND IT'S NOT
A GOOD THING. HE MEANS SO YOU
KNOW, I STARTED A VOICE CLUB TO
START PREVENTION. UM BACK IN THE
DAY. I HAD 40 BOYS IN MY CLUB.
AND. LIKE IT'S. IT'S KIND OF
HARD TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE I
LOST FOUR OF THOSE BOYS TO
OVERDOSE OF FENTANYL OVERDOSE
AND. AND I HAVE. I HAVE THREE
BOYS AND A DAUGHTER. BUT THOSE
BOYS WERE LIKE MY SONS OF
ALREADY OF THEM. AND SO UM, WHEN
I LOST THE LAST ONE UH HUH. HE
CAME TO MY HOUSE AT FIVE O'CLOCK
IN THE MORNING AFTER YOU HAD
OVERDOSED AND CAME FROM THE
HOSPITAL. UM HE WAS BROUGHT TO
MANY BUYERS ANTI AND IT'S A HIS
UNCLE THAT WAS WITH MARRIED TO
HER, AND HE TOLD ME WHO WAS
DOING, UH WHO IS STILL IN THE
FENTANYL TUNE. AND THE GUY THAT
WAS STILL IN THE FEDERAL TOO,
AND WAS THE GUY THAT I GREW UP
PAST MY BURROW AS MY FRIEND THAT
I PLAYED SPORTS WITH AND I DID
EVERYTHING WITH AND SO I HAD TO
PICK AND CHOOSE TO EITHER GO
AFTER THIS GUY OR OR LET THE
REST OF THEM DIE. SO I HAD TO DO
THIS ON MY OWN FRIEND, TOO. AND
MY OWN RELATIVE. UH, TO TRY TO
FIGHT THIS AND SO, YOU KNOW. IT
WAS IT WAS. IT WASN'T A HARD
CHOICE FOR ME. I MEAN, THOSE
BOYS MEANT A LOT TO ME AND SO
THE FIVE O'CLOCK I MET THIS BOY
HE HAD HE STILL HAD THE
OVERDOSE, THROW UP ON HIS
SWEATER, AND IT SWEATS AND BY
THREE O'CLOCK THAT AFTERNOON, HE
WAS GONE. HE PASSED AWAY BECAUSE
HE WENT HOME AND GOT ANOTHER
PILL AND DID IT AND HE DID IT BY
HIMSELF, AND NO ONE WAS AROUND
AND HE PASSED AWAY. AND SO BUT
BY THE TIME I WAS GOING UP THERE
TO SEE HIM, THE AMBULANCE AND
THE FIRE TRUCK WAS RADIATED
SAUCE AND HE WAS ALREADY GONE.
SO I, UH SOMETIMES YOU BLAME
YOURSELF FOR THINGS THAT YOU
CAN'T CONTROL. AND I ALWAYS
THANK YOU. FIGHTER WENT UP THERE
SOONER INSTEAD OF A TAKING MY
DAUGHTER TO HER BASEBALL GAME OR
SOFTBALL GAME THAT HE MIGHT
STILL BE ALIVE, BUT YOU NEVER
KNOW, BUT I STILL HAVE TO BE A
FATHER TO MY KIDS, TOO. SO, UM
SO IT WAS HARD. I MEAN, IT'S
STILL HARD TODAY AND YOU KNOW,
UM THAT, UH THAT KID. UH, I HAD
A ME AND ROSCOE. SHE'S BEEN
STARTED ME AND HER STARTED.
DISCUSSIONS UM, ON OUR
RESERVATION BECAUSE LIKE MS
ESPINOSA. IT WAS BOTHERING US
THAT THESE KIDS WERE PASSING
AWAY, YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S THE
ANTI TO THIS KID I'M TALKING
ABOUT AND SO WE STARTED TALKING
AND WE STARTED TRYING TO ATTACK
THIS FOR OURSELVES. AND SO
THAT'S WHY. WHEN YOU GUYS PUT
THESE BILLS TOGETHER, WE WAS
WATCHING THEM LIKE LIKE LIKE IT
WAS OUR SPORTS TEAM. I MEAN AND
WHEN THEY DIDN'T PASS, IT WAS IT
WAS LIKE DEVASTATING TO US THAT
IT DIDN'T PASS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS
ACTUALLY DISCUSSING TO ME THAT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT SEEMS
SO GREAT. IT DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE
OF THE POLITICS THAT GO WITH IT
, AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. TO ME.
IT WAS LIKE, HOW CAN HOW CAN
THAT NOT PASS? YOU KNOW THIS
DRUGS KILLING PEOPLE? IT'S
DESTROYING OUR STATE IS ASSURING
EVERY WORD EVERYWHERE. IT IS
EVERYWHERE. IT'S NOT JUST ON
INDIAN LANDS. I MEAN, IT'S
EVERYWHERE. YOU KNOW, LIKE I
ALWAYS SAY WE'RE NOT SAVAGES AND
SETTLERS ANYMORE. WE'RE ALL
NEIGHBORS, AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS
IN THE SAME STATE TOGETHER, YOU
KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT IF THIS
WIPES OUT ANY TOWN. IT'S JUST
GOING TO KEEP MOVING AND MOVING
IT RIGHT. SO ANY RESERVATION
IT'S JUST MOVING AND MOVING. AND
IF WE DON'T, UH, LIKE THIS THIS
THING THIS IS WHY I'M HERE
BECAUSE I WANT TO SUPPORT THIS
AND HELP YOU GUYS FIGHT THIS
EITHER. JUST SLOW IT DOWN AND
PUT SPEED BUMPS IN ITS WAY ARE
OR IT'S GOING TO DESTROY
EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, AND I HOPE
WHOEVER'S LISTENING REALLY TAKES
NOTE TO WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING
HERE TODAY AND HOW BAD THIS
FENTANYL IS. BECAUSE YOU KNOW
THEY DON'T WANT THEIR FAMILY
MEMBER TO BE BURIED OVER AND
OVERDOSE AND SOMETIMES THAT'S
WHAT IT TAKES FOR SOMEONE TO
EVEN RECOGNIZE IT WHEN THEY'RE
BEING DOUBTFUL ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING AROUND THEM, YOU KNOW,
BUT THIS IS WHAT? UH YOU KNOW,
AMY WAS COMING WITH ME TO TALK
ABOUT HER. HER NEPHEW PASSING
AWAY AND, UH, THIS MORNING. SHE
TOLD ME SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE
ABLE TO MAKE IT AND I DIDN'T
KNOW WHY. BUT UH SHE SENT ME.
THIS MESSAGE WILL ALWAYS COMING
OVER HERE FROM SZECHWAN AND, UH,
THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID. I WISH I
WAS THERE TODAY, BUT MY PAIN
IT'S STILL TOO REAL. IT WAS
YESTERDAY MY NEPHEW WAS TAKEN.
IT WAS JUST A DAY THAT I WROTE
IN THE AMBULANCE WILL TURN TO
THE ER, PRAYER FOR ALL THE
FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED
BY THIS EXPLICIT FENTANYL.
PRAYER TO YOU TODAY TO SPEAK FOR
A SAW. UM. THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITE, AND SHE SINNER. PICTURE
OF HER NEPHEW WANT A CUP? YOU
KNOW, SO. SO I WAS TELLING MY
PAM ONE DAY WAS UP IN SACRAMENTO
THAT YOU KNOW? WE'RE JUST
SITTING THERE TALKING. WAIT FOR
OUR NEXT IN FIT TO GO ON TO
GOING TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR A
WATER BILL. UH HUH. AND I
STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS
FENTANYL STUFF. AND THEN THAT'S
AN AFTER WE GOT DONE TALKING
ABOUT IT. WE RAN INTO YOU AND IN
THE LOBBY DOWN THERE, AND SO
THAT'S WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT
THIS, AND I'M GLAD YOU KEPT YOUR
WORD AND INVITED US TO DO THIS
WORK. TO BE A PART OF THIS, AND,
UH YOU KNOW, UM THAT DAY. I WAS
TALKING TO YOU ABOUT ALL THIS
AND, UH AND THIS WAS GOING ON SO
IT, UH IT REALLY BOTHERS ME THAT
OUR TRAVEL MEMBERS AND ALSO
PEOPLE I KNOW IN TOWN THAT ARE
THAT I GREW UP WITH OUR ALL
MESSED UP THAT THEY DON'T THEY
DON'T. THEY DON'T HAVE NO, NO,
NO STATE OF MIND ANYMORE. YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE GONE.
THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE
NOT DEAD, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALIVE,
EITHER. NO MORE, YOU KNOW? AND
THERE'S NO WAY TO HELP THEM
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GIVE
THEM ALL THE MEDICATION NOW AND
ALL THE TREATMENT, BUT THEY'RE
STILL NEVER GOING TO BE THE
SAME, YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S
THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY CRAZY TO ME
. AND HOW CHEAP DISTRIBUTES YOU
KNOW WE'RE TRADING HOME. THEY
SELL IT FOR $10. SO WE'RE WE'RE
. FOR THAT $10 WHEN A KID OR
ANOTHER PERSON PASSES AWAY.
WE'RE SPENDING ANOTHER $10,000
JUST TO BURY HIM, YOU KNOW? AND
SO AND THEN WHAT DO YOU PUT ON
THE PRICE FOR SOMEONE LIKE AMY'S
PAIN? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ALRIGHT
, SOMEONE LIKE ME. UH I STARTED
THAT BOY'S CLUB FOR PREVENTION.
AND THEN, UH, UM IT GOT CLOSED
DOWN BECAUSE THERE IS NO FUNDING
FOR IT AND SO THERE'S BOYS HAD
NOWHERE TO GO, AND SO THEY
ENDED. DOING DOING THESE DOING
THESE PILLS, YOU KNOW, AND I
COULDN'T SAVE HIM MORE. I WAS
WATCHING. WATCHING UM THEN WE GO
DOWN THE ROAD THAT I COULDN'T
SAVE HIM FROM. AND FOR OVER MY
GOD NOW. ON THE 49 THEM AND
PROBABLY 10 OF THEM ARE STILL
MESSED UP. JOHN AND SO LIKE THIS
IS WHERE I'M AT WITH THIS AND I
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS MORE THAN
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW. AND I'M SO
GRATEFUL THEREFORE, TO BE HERE
TODAY TO BE A PART OF THIS AND
LIKE I SAID, THINK THE BS PEOPLE
ARE YOU KNOW CHAIRMAN CHRISMAN
FOR ALLOWING US TO USE HIS LAND
AND HIS HIS FACILITY, UM, TO
HAVE THIS TODAY. THANK YOU GUYS
ALSO, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE
I'M GOING TO STOP. IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR ME OUT MY ANSWER
THE BEST I CAN. THANK YOU AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND,
UH, AND FOR YOUR WORK AND I'M
SURE. THAT FOR MANY OF THOSE
BOYS THAT YOU DID GET TO WORK
WITH THAT YOU SAVED A LOT OF
LIVES. SO I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT
YOUR LOSS, BUT WE'RE VERY
APPRECIATIVE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
DONE. AND PLEASE SHARE OUR
CONDOLENCES AND OUR RESPECT AND
GRATITUDE TO AMY AS WELL AND FOR
HER TO HAVE SHARED THAT MESSAGE
WITH US. MR GREENBERG. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT
STORY, TOO. UM I'VE BEEN A
PHYSICIAN FOR OVER TWO DECADES,
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES
OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, SO I'VE
WORKED IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE FOR
THE PAST 19 YEARS UNTIL LAST
YEAR. I'VE WORKED IN ADDICTION
MEDICINE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS
, AND I'VE WATCHED THE FACE OF
THE OPIOID CRISIS GET WORSE AND
WORSE, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN
FENTANYL CAME INTO CALIFORNIA,
IT'S BEEN DEVASTATING. IN THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IN
PARTICULAR, HAVE SEEN A LOT OF
YOUNG PEOPLE OVERDOSING GOT
PRONOUNCED A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
DEAD. AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
THAT I SEE IS BARRIERS TO
TREATMENT. OBVIOUSLY PREVENTION
IS VERY IMPORTANT. MY ASPECT OR
MY SIDE OF THINGS IS TREATMENT
AND OUR CURRENT PARADIGM THAT WE
HAVE FOR OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
INVOLVES PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER MAKING
APPOINTMENTS. IT'S HARD TO MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT AND KEEP AN
APPOINTMENT. WHEN YOU'RE WHEN
YOU HAVE A SUBSTANCE USE
DISORDER WHEN YOU HAVE A
FENTANYL ADDICTION,
METHAMPHETAMINE ADDICTION, SO
BIGGEST THING WE CAN DO ON OUR
SIDE IS REALLY TRYING TO
DECREASE THOSE BARRIERS YOU'LL
SEE WHEN YOU GO TO REVIVE. WE'RE
NOT A TYPICAL OF YOUR GERMAN
PROGRAM. WE A LOT OF OUR
PATIENTS WILL BE SAME DAY WALK
IN GET TREATED THAT SAME DAY. WE
REALLY TRY AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO
THREE PEOPLE WHEN THEY HAVE THE
TIME OF NEED WHEN THEY COME IN,
WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH A
CLINIC THAT I'VE BEEN RUNNING IN
UK AS WELL, UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING
TO PROVIDE URGENT CARE TYPE OF
SERVICES, BASICALLY MEDICAL
SERVICES AS WELL AND PSYCHIATRIC
SERVICES. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
ENGAGE IN TREATMENT WHEN YOU
HAVE UNTREATED PSYCHIATRIC
DISEASE. UM AND SO MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT AS
WELL. UM FROM THE STANDPOINT
FROM MY ASK FOR THIS COMMITTEE
ESPECIALLY IS WHATEVER WE CAN DO
TO DECREASE THE BARRIERS TO US
OPENING CLINICS AND GETTING
STARTED, I THINK IS HUGE. SO ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE RUN INTO
IS WE RUN INTO ADMINISTRATIVE
HURDLES. WE'VE WE'RE STILL
WAITING. JUST BECAUSE OF THE
NATURE OF THINGS FOR DHC S D E A
TO DO THE FINAL INSPECTION SO
THAT WE CAN OPEN THE CLINIC.
WE'RE STILL AWAITING COUNTY
CONTRACTS AT ANOTHER CLINIC IN
UKIAH. WE'VE BEEN MIRED IN
DIFFICULTY GETTING COUNTING
COUNTING CONTRACTS AS WELL. THE
CURRENT SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY IN
CALIFORNIA, WHERE THE COUNTIES
ARE HAVE TO CONTRACT FOR THE
SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE HAS
BEEN A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER. UM
WE WANT TO TREAT PEOPLE EVERY
DAY THAT WE'RE NOT OPEN AND NOT
TREATING PEOPLE. UNFORTUNATELY
PEOPLE ARE DYING, AND WE'VE SEEN
THIS OVER AND OVER. UM SO AS
MUCH AS WE CAN EXPAND THAT
ACCESS, THE BETTER AND MR HANEY
YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR AREA. YOU
SEE, SAN FRANCISCO IS VERY GOOD
AT PROVIDING ACCESS, PROVIDING
COMPREHENSIVE CARE REALLY
DECREASING THE BARRIERS TO
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER. UM DR HERRING OUT OF
HIGHLAND HAS DONE A GREAT JOB
WITH THAT AS WELL AND WE'RE
TRYING TO DO THAT AS WELL. I'VE
WORKED WITH THE CALIFORNIA
BRIDGE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN
AMAZING WITH WHAT THEY'VE DONE
WITH CALIFORNIA WITH REALLY
PROVIDING ACCESS TO OPIOID
TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO
BE CLEAR, SO YOU ALL OPERATE THE
CLINIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE
YESTERDAY OR YOU WILL WILL
OPERATE. SO I'M CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER FOR ONE TOGETHER.
SOLUTIONS. UM, ARE BOB KERSHNER
, WHO IS OUR CEO, WHO BASICALLY
DESIGNED ALL OF THIS. THE IDEA
IS TO WORK WITH TRIBES TO OPEN
OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS. SO
OUR CLINIC IN UKIAH WAS THE
FIRST TRIBALLY OWNED OPIOID
TREATMENT PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA
AND THEN REVIVED WILL BE THE
SECOND ONE AND WE TREAT ALL
COMERS. WE TREAT NOT JUST TRIBAL
NUMBERS, UM AND WITH WHAT WE'RE
DOING IS WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO
HEAL COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WE'RE
NOT JUST TREATING A SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER. WE'RE NOT JUST
TREATING OPIOID USE DISORDER.
WE'RE ALSO TREATING HEPATITIS C.
WE'RE SCREENING AND TREATING FOR
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
WERE TREATING OTHER INFECTIOUS
DISEASES AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS
THAT ARE RELATED TO IT, AND
WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY DO
WHATEVER WE CAN, AS FAR AS
PREVENTATIVE CARE AS WELL. THANK
YOU. COLLEAGUES.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. UM THANK YOU
BOTH FOR YOUR WORK, AND I KNOW
IT'S HARD TO SEE, UM I CAN'T
IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE
SOMEONE IN YOUR PROGRAM BUT AS
CHAIR, HANEY SAID, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE
STILL HERE AND PROBABLY BECAUSE
OF YOUR WORK, SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. UM YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS.
IF I KNOW THE PROGRAM,
UNFORTUNATELY, WASN'T ABLE TO
CONTINUE, BUT, UM. YOU KNOW, I
FEEL LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS A, UH,
STRUGGLE AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO
DO ALL THE THINGS. UM, BUT IT
SEEMS LIKE IN A CERTAIN LEVEL,
YOU KNOW? STOPPING THE FLOW
COMPLETELY SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE,
RIGHT TO DO THAT 100% RIGHT. WE
CAN DO A LOT LIKE YOU SAID, PUT
SPEED BUMPS. UM AND SO YOU KNOW
, ON THE OTHER END, THAT'S WHY
IT FEELS LIKE THE PREVENTION
PIECE AND STOPPING THE DEMAND IS
SO IMPORTANT AS WELL. UM AND YOU
KNOW, WHAT DID YOU FEEL IN TERMS
OF WHEN YOU HAD THAT PROGRAM?
DID YOU FEEL LIKE IT WAS AN
EFFECTIVE PROGRAM? WAS IT? YOU
KNOW, KIDS HAVING A PLACE TO GO
AND SOMETHING TO DO AND POSITIVE
INFLUENCE WAS IT YOU KNOW, WAS
IT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TALK
ABOUT DRUG PREVENTION ABOUT THE
IMPACTS OF IT. YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHAT WERE THE THINGS THAT YOU
DID? THAT YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE
EFFECTIVE AND MADE A DIFFERENCE
WHILE THE PROGRAM WAS GOING AND,
UM AND THAT YOU THINK ARE
IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW ELEMENTS OF
FUTURE PROGRAMS. UM I THINK THE
PROGRAM WORKS BECAUSE I USED TO
BE THOSE KIDS. I WAS A RESIDENT.
UH, I WANT TO BE MILITANT HATE
AND, UH, THE WORLD AROUND ME AND
IN THE WORLD AFTER RESERVATION.
YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT'S WHAT
MADE ME INDIAN AND THEN WE NEVER
AMERICAN OR INDIGENOUS OR
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL
YOURSELF INSTEAD OF A HUMAN
BEING. AND MY UNCLE. HE WAS ONE
OF OUR LEADERS AT THE TIME. YOU
KNOW, PHILLIP PHILLIP HONOR MET
, SO I HAD TO SEND. THAT'S
BECAUSE HE'S GONE. UM AND ONE
DAY HE TOLD ME AH WHY YOU ALWAYS
ACT SO RESIDENT OUT? WHY? WHY DO
YOU HAVE TO BE THAT WAY? WHY
CAN'T SHE JUST LEAVE PEOPLE
ALONE AND LET THEM BE? AND I WAS
TELLING ME BECAUSE MY OTHER
UNCLE. HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC AND I
LIVE WITH MY UNCLE WHO WAS A
LEADER AND THEN DRINK OR USED
AND HE WAS PART OF THE TRAP
PROGRAM, BRINGING IT THERE WITH
ANOTHER MAN NAMED JOE CARRILLO
MATS AND, UH AND THEY WERE MY
GREATEST MENTOR IS AT THE TIME.
BUT MY OTHER MENTOR WAS MY UNCLE
. THAT WAS AN ALCOHOLIC THAT SAT
IN THE BACK YARD AND DRANK AND
TALKED ABOUT THE UNITED SNAKES
OF AMERICA AND ALL THIS OTHER
STUFF, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I WAS RAISED
WITH MY OTHER UNCLE WAS GONE. MY
COME DOWN HERE NOW SOMEONE COULD
BE SITTING WITH MY BOYS LIKE MY
OTHER UNCLE WAS WITH ME. AND
TELLING ME ALL THE WRONG STORIES
TO MAKE ME HATE THE WORLD, YOU
KNOW, AND THEN ONE DAY HE TOLD
ME THAT WHY WAS I LIKE THAT?
AND, UM I TOLD HIM THAT AND THEN
HE TOLD ME WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S
OKAY TO BE RESIDENT OUT. BUT AS
LONG AS YOU'RE RESIDENT OUT,
YOU'RE ALWAYS GETTING ONLY HAVE
THE REST. YOU'RE NEVER GONNA
HAVE NOTHING ELSE. BUT IF YOU'RE
A HUMAN BEING, YOU CAN GO
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND STILL
FIT IN. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO
ANYWHERE, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I
TOLD THESE BOYS AND THEY ALWAYS
TOLD ME THE REST IS ALWAYS GONNA
BE THERE. AMERICA IS NOT GOING
TO MOVE IT ANYMORE, BUT I MEAN,
WE'RE STUCK HERE NOW IN THESE
GRANITE HILLS WITH WITH WHAT WE
GOT, YOU KNOW, AND SO GO OUT
THERE AND SEE STUFF, YOU KNOW,
GO OUT THERE AND SISTER BEFORE
YOU CAN'T NO MORE. I MEAN, AND,
UH AND SO THAT'S WHAT I TOLD
THESE BOYS LIKE, DON'T DON'T LET
THE REDS HOLD YOU HERE. IT'S
ALWAYS GONNA BE HERE ONE DAY,
IT'S GONNA CALL YOU HOME.
WHETHER SOMEONE PASSES AWAY OR
ARE YOU JUST WANT TO COME HOME
BECAUSE THE RIVER WILL CALL YOU
BACK AND SO I WAS DOING
PREVENTION WITH THEM. UM I SET
UP EVERY SIX MONTHS WOULD GO TO
MAGIC MOUNTAIN AND I GO
PAINTBALL AND I'D LET HIM PICK
WHEREVER THEY WANT TO GO BECAUSE
WE HAD THE FUNDING FOR IT TO DO
STUFF LIKE THAT. AND SO THEY HAD
TO. I HAD HIM DIRECT TESTING
WITH THEIR PARENTS CAN SIT ARE
THEIR GUARDIAN'S CONSENT. EVERY
WEEK, AND I'D RANDALL ME, JERK
CHEST AND I WOULDN'T TELL THEM
WHAT THEY WAS GONNA TEST THEM.
AND THEY WERE THEY ALL AGREE TO
SIGN THE PAPER AND HAD THEIR
PARENTS OR THE GUARDIANS. SIGN
IT, AND THEN THEY HAD TO DO FIVE
THINGS IN ORDER TO, UH, MAKE
MAKE THE INCENTIVE TRIP POSSIBLE
FOR THEMSELVES, SO THEY'D HAVE
TO HAVE GOOD GRADES IN SCHOOL,
AND WE PASSING, THEY'D HAVE TO
BEHAVE ON THE BUS AND NOT BE
HAVING A WRITE UPS ON THE BUS.
THEY'D HAVE TO, UH, STOP TALKING
TO THE GYM DIRECTOR LIKE SHE WAS
WASN'T THERE FOR HIM BECAUSE HE
WAS EUROPEAN DESCENT PILGRIM,
AND SO, UH, THEY WAS TREATING
HER PRETTY BAD WHEN I GOT THERE,
AND SO THEY HAD TO LEAVE HER
ALONE. THEY HAD THE COLLAR BUYER
NAME INSTEAD OF CALLING THEIR
DIFFERENT NAMES AND THEN THEY
COULDN'T GET IN TROUBLE AT THE
GYM THAT WE WAS AT, AND THEY
COULDN'T GET IN TROUBLE. NOWHERE
ELSE ON THERE IS AND THEN THE
LAST ONE WAS THAT WE HAD TO BE
IN THE SAME CIRCLE. ALL OF US
HAD TO STAND TOGETHER. AND IF
ANYBODY TALKED ABOUT EACH OTHER
THEN, UH, YOU KNOW THEY COULDN'T
GO ON THE TRIPS, AND THAT WAS
THAT WAS THE HIDDEN AGENDA RIGHT
THERE, AND SO THEY ALL AGREED TO
IT. AND SO THAT'S HOW IT WORKED
. AND SO A LOT OF JEALOUSY COMES
ON NATIVE LAND. A LOT OF
JEALOUSY COMES FROM THINGS LIKE
THAT. BECAUSE YOU BECOME YOU.
YOU CREATE THE CRABS IN THE
BUCKET TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE. AND
SO WHEN KIDS OR ANYBODY IN
GENERAL AND THE U R R I THINK
HIGHLY OF YOU, UM AND THEY START
WANTING TO SEE YOU ALL THE TIME
. PEOPLE GET JEALOUS AND SO
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. THESE KIDS
BECAME MY KIDS AND THEY WERE
COMING TO ME AND SAID THEIR
FATHERS AND SOME OF THE FATHERS
GOT MAD AND MAYBE AND WHO I AM I
REALLY DIDN'T CARE BECAUSE ONLY
CARED ABOUT THESE KIDS AND NOW
SOME OF THEM ARE WELDERS. SOME
OF THEM ARE STILL IN SCHOOL,
TRYING TO GET THEIR BACHELOR'S
DEGREES AND THEN SOME OF THEM
ARE MESSED UP FROM FENTANYL. I
MEAN, BUT BUT NOT ALL OF THEM
FAILED AND EVEN THE ONES THAT
ARE FIT AND ALL. YOU'RE NOT
FAILURES BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL
STANDING, AND THEY'RE STILL
ABOVE GROUND. I MEAN AND SO
THAT'S WHY I STILL CONTINUE TO
TRY TO HELP THEM. AND THAT'S WHY
YOU KNOW BEING ON COUNCIL. IT'S
IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING ON COUNCIL
TO BE A LEADER. YOU KNOW YOU YOU
STILL GOT TO LEAD THOSE THAT ARE
BROKEN, AND YOU CAN'T FORGET
ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE FIGURED
ABOUT THEM. WHAT TYPE OF LEADER
ARE, YOU KNOW? AND SO? SO THAT'S
WHY I'M I'M JUST LIKE YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ARE LEADERS WHERE YOU
COME FROM, AND HERE YOU ARE, YOU
KNOW, TRYING TO FIGHT THIS. YOU
KNOW, THIS IS A PANDEMIC ITSELF.
YOU KNOW COVID'S COVID'S NOT
NOTHING COMPARED TO THIS, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR
MINDS. PEOPLE JUST LOST THEIR
BREATH AND LOST THEIR HEARTBEAT
AND LOST SENSE OF SMELL AND
TASTE. BUT UH, WHEN YOU LOSE
YOUR MIND, YOU LOSE ALL OF THAT.
SO COVID'S NOT NOTHING COMPARED
TO FIT. NO, I MEAN TO ME
ANYWAYS. AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHY I THINK
THE VOICE CLUB WORK BECAUSE WE
WAS ALL THE SAME. AND THEN I
TAUGHT HIM THAT THE WORLD IS
NOT, UH, HATEFUL PLACE TO BE
HATING THAT. I MEAN, I DIDN'T. I
THOUGHT HIM MY ONE UNCLE TAUGHT
ME AND NOT WITH THE OTHER ONE
TAUGHT ME. YEAH SO I THINK
THAT'S WHY IT WORKED. YOU KNOW,
AND THEN YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE
RULES FOR SOMETHING FOR IT TO
WORK BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WILL
KEEP GOING BACK TO THE SAME
SPOT. THERE'S ALWAYS GOT TO BE
SOME TYPE OF ROLE. YOU KNOW
THAT. KEEPS YOU ONLINE. SO
THAT'S WHY I MADE THOSE THINGS
UP TO HAVE HAVE SOME KIND OF
INCENTIVE FOR. THANK YOU. IT
SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS REALLY
IMPACTFUL PROGRAM AND I'M SURE
THE IMPACTS ARE STILL BEING FELT
FOR THOSE KIDS WHO ARE YOU KNOW,
ARE IN SCHOOL AND TRYING TO MAKE
IT. UM AND FOR, UM DR GREENBERG.
IF YOU THE CLINIC THAT WE'VE
SEEN TODAY, CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE OR WE WILL BE
SEEING TODAY WE TALKED A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S
BEEN AROUND AND SOME OF THE WORK
THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE THERE. I
KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER
TREATMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AS
WELL. BUT UM, IN TERMS OF PATENT
ON OPIOIDS THE YOU KNOW
SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES THAT
YOU'RE SEEING THERE. YEAH AND
REVIVE IS NOT OPEN YET. IT WILL
BE OPENING EARLY NEXT MONTH. UM
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR APPROVAL
THROUGH D H. C S, D E, A AND ALL
THE OTHER FUND ADMINISTRATIVE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO. UM I
HAVE BEEN, UM, MEDICAL DIRECTOR
IN OUR CLINIC AND YOU KAYA WITH
WHICH IS WITH A DIFFERENT TRIBE.
AND THERE WERE REALLY JUST
TRYING TO BREAK THE MOLD WHERE
WE'VE WE'VE TAKEN MOST PATIENTS
WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. OVER
HALF OF OUR ADMISSIONS ARE
PATIENTS THAT JUST WALK IN? WE
SEE HIM THE SAME DAY WE GET THEM
TREATED. UM AND THEN ON TOP OF
THAT A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE
DIFFICULTY ACCESSING CARE
ELSEWHERE. THEY OFTEN ARE
STIGMATIZED WHEN THEY GO TO THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR WHEN
THEY GO TO OTHER PLACES, AND
THEY'RE RELUCTANT TO GO AND WE
SEE PEOPLE WITH SIGNIFICANT
INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS LIKE
CELLULITIS ABSCESSES. UM AND
THEN OTHER HEALTH ISSUES AS WELL
AND ONE OF THE KEYS IS ALSO BEEN
TREATING THE MENTAL ILLNESS
ALONG WITH THAT, SO WE'VE WITH
THE TREATING THEIR PSYCHIATRIC
ISSUES. SAME ISSUE WHERE PEOPLE
REALLY DON'T ACCESS CARE VERY
WELL, UM, WE REALLY FOUND THAT
WE'VE HAD A LOT MORE SUCCESS
WHERE PATIENTS REPORTS
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN
THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE'RE
WORKING ON TRYING TO TRACK THAT
EVEN BETTER. AND THEN WITH
REVIVE. WE'RE UM WE'RE
IMPLEMENTING A QUALITY OF LIFE
KIND OF AH TOOLS SO THAT WE CAN
SEE WHAT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE
IS WHEN THEY COME TO ADMISSION,
YEARLY AND TRACK, NOT JUST
BECOMING SUBSTANCE FREE, BUT IN
ADDITION, TRACKING THEM GETTING
JOBS, GETTING BACK INTO
EDUCATION AND THEN IMPROVING
THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND OTHER
REALMS, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU
100 DIFFERENT STORIES OF PEOPLE
GETTING THEIR LIVES BACK
TOGETHER, BUT WE DO PRACTICE AND
EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE AND I
WANT I WANT ACTUAL DATA TO BE
ABLE TO SHOW IT TO AND WHAT WHEN
YOU SAY THEY COME IN FOR
TREATMENT, YOU TREATMENT DO YOU
TREAT THEM THAT DAY? THESE ARE
ALL OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. YES
THESE ARE MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID
USE DISORDER. SO THIS IS
PREDOMINANTLY BUPRENORPHINE
YEARS TO BOX HIM. UM AND
METHADONE. AND YOU'VE SEEN
SUCCESS IN OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
WITH THOSE MEDICATIONS. A HUGE
AMOUNT? YES SO IF YOU LOOK AT
THE STATISTICS, BECAUSE I'LL GO
BACK TO THE DATA BECAUSE WE LOVE
DATA IF SOMEONE GOES AND THEY
GET TREATMENT, LET'S SAY WE GET
THEM THROUGH THE WITHDRAWAL
PERIOD. SO WHEN IT COMES TO
USING SUBOXONE OR METHADONE,
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE
WITHDRAWAL. IT ALSO IS ABOUT THE
DOPAMINE REWARD CENTER IN THEIR
BRAIN THAT GETS THEM GOING BACK
TO USING SO EVEN IF WE GET THEM
THROUGH WITHDRAWAL IF THEY'RE IN
A SOCIAL PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T
INVOLVE MEDICATIONS ABOUT 85% OF
PEOPLE ARE FAILING WITHIN ONE
MONTH. IF YOU LOOK AT
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDERS SUCH AS BUPRENORPHINE
OR METHADONE. PATIENTS WHO ARE
RETAINED IN TREATMENT. IT'S
SOMEWHERE AROUND 50 TO 60% IT'S
THE STUDIES. IT'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFICULT, BUT YOU LOOK AT WHAT
A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE THAT IS
JUST WITH WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
BRAIN WHEN PEOPLE ARE OFF OF
OPIOIDS, EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT
WITHDRAWAL. THE LOSE THE POWER
TO REALLY FOR MOST PEOPLE TO
REALLY BE ABLE TO STOP USING. IF
YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT 5
TO 10% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER ARE STILL NOT NOT USING
LISTEN OPIOIDS IN ABOUT A YEAR
AND SO IT'S THERE'S WE HAVE TO.
WE HAVE TO WORK ON WHAT HAPPENS
IN THE BRAIN THAT ACTUALLY LEADS
TO THEM CONTINUING TO USE
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP. I KNOW WE'RE
ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITING
THE CLINIC. YOU KNOW, OF COURSE,
EVEN BEFORE IT'S FULLY OPENING I
KNOW AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK
YOU, MR VICE CHAIRMAN FOR YOUR
WORK AND FOR BEING HERE AND I
KNOW THAT THIS IS CLEARLY AN
ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH AND
COMMITMENT TO AND YOU HAVE MY
COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH YOU. UH
AND EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TO
REALLY CONFRONT THESE ISSUES AT
THE SCALE AND WITH THE URGENCY
THAT THEY'RE BEING EXPERIENCED.
THANK YOU. YEAH I LIKE TO THANK
YOU AGAIN, ALL OF YOU FOR
PLAYING THIS TOGETHER. SKIN LIKE
, YOU KNOW, CHAIRMAN CHRISMAN.
YOU MEAN HIS HIS TRIBE FOR
ALLOWING ME TO WALK ON THEIR
LAND TODAY AND YOU KNOW, IT'S
JUST WANT TO SAY ONE LAST THING
IS THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY
SAD AS A LEADER, UM I SHOULD BE
AT HOME. WHERE OUT OF WATER
RIGHT NOW, WALKING AROUND WITH
HS WITH MY CHAIRMAN, WORKING ON
WATER CRISIS AND WORKING ON OUR
HOUSING. I MEAN, AND INSTEAD
THIS THIS FENTANYL, UH, PUSH TO
GET IT OFF OUR RESERVATION AND
GETTING AWAY FROM US IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS THAT. AND THAT'S
THE SAD THING ABOUT THIS. I MEAN
THAT THAT INSTEAD OF WORKING ON
THOSE THINGS TO BRING HOUSE AND
TO OUR PEOPLE SO THEY CAN COME
HOME. UM YOU KNOW, I'M WORRIED
ABOUT THESE KIDS DYING ALSO AND
ANYBODY ELSE FROM IRELAND AND
THAT'S WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND IS THAT YOU KNOW THIS
IS THIS. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT
THIS IS TO ME. IT'S RIGHT UP
THERE WITH THOSE TOP TWO THAT I
SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON AS A
LEADER. AND INSTEAD OF INSTEAD
OF THIS DRUG, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A
IT'S NOT A GOOD DRUG. IT'S NOT A
LOT OF DRUGS ARE GOOD, BUT THIS
ONE IS JUST JUST IT'S JUST CRAZY
TO ME. IT BAFFLES ME. HOW HOW
THEY'RE TAKING IT AND HOW HOW
THEY KNOW THEY CAN DIE, YOU
KNOW, AND THEY'RE STILL CHANCING
IT, YOU KNOW, AND BUT I THANK
YOU GUYS AGAIN. I DON'T WANT TO
TAKE UP TOO MUCH MORE TIME AND
AROUND BLONDE, BUT I THANK YOU
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE. AND
THEN MY TRIBE TO PARTICIPATE AND
TO THE RIVER SUPPORTS YOU GUYS
TO THE FULLEST. SO THANK YOU
GUYS. ALSO TAKE THAT DIDN'T
WORK. NOW. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AS
WELL. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE HEJAZ FOR BUILDING THIS
CLINIC TO HOPEFULLY HELP HEAL
OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU BOTH. UH, AGAIN. I WANT TO
THANK THE HOUSE AND THE TRIBAL
COUNCIL. UH AND THE CHAIRMAN AS
WELL AS TO A RIVER FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP ON
THIS HEARING. I KNOW WE ARE
GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME THIS
AFTERNOON VISITING THE CLINIC,
WHICH WAS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE
WANTED TO DO TO COME HERE. AND
MR VICE CHAIRMAN. I THINK YOU
SAID IT BEST. NOBODY WANTS TO BE
SPENDING TIME FOCUSING ON THIS
EPIDEMIC. THERE ARE SO MANY
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE WE CAN DO
TO SOLVE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT, UH
, EVERYONE IN OUR STATE AND
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ARE FACING
BUT WE DO NEED TO DO SO MUCH
MORE ON THIS, AND WE ARE NOT
DOING ENOUGH ANYWHERE. I CAN
TELL YOU IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT
WE ARE SEEING. TRAGICALLY AGAIN
THIS YEAR, WE ARE ON PACE TO
HAVE OVER 800 OVERDOSE DEATHS IN
SAN FRANCISCO THAT WILL BE THE
WORST YEAR ON RECORD FOR US. UH
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE
THERE'S NO ONE KNOWS CITY OR
COUNTY. NO STATE IS DOING ENOUGH
TO CONFRONT THIS EPIDEMIC AND WE
HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAT WE HAVE
TO DO TOGETHER. AND I JUST THINK
THAT THIS CONVERSATION
UNDERSCORE BOTH THE URGENCY
UNDERSCORED WHERE SOME OF THE
NEED IS WHERE WE AREN'T DOING
ENOUGH TO GET FOLKS INTO THE
RIGHT LEVEL OF TREATMENT OR NOT
INTERVENING EARLY ENOUGH WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO STOP THESE DRUGS FROM
COMING IN TO BEGIN WITH, AND
HAVE AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO
ACCOUNTABILITY. AND TRANSITION
BETWEEN SYSTEMS. SO YOU
CERTAINLY ALL HAVE GAVE US
GIVING US A LOT TO THINK ABOUT,
UH, AND TO WORK ON AS WE THINK
ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT NEED
TO BE MADE IN THE LAWS THAT NEED
TO BE CHANGED. BEFORE I ALSO
OPENED UP TO MY COLLEAGUES IF
THEY WANT TO ADD ANY FINAL
REMARKS. AH I DO WANT TO OPEN IT
UP. IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE WHO
DOES WANT TO PROVIDE ANY PUBLIC
COMMENT? WE WANT TO GIVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. AND IF
THERE'S ANYBODY THEY CAN COME
UP. IF THERE'S NOT, THAT'S FINE,
TOO. UH AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE A BRIEF LUNCH AND THEN
AND THEN I STEP OUT AND GO AND
VISIT THE CLINIC. COLLEAGUES ANY
FINAL THOUGHTS OR OR ANYTHING MR
PATTERSON. YEAH. AS I SAID
EARLIER. THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX.
VERY TROUBLING, VERY DIFFICULT.
EMERGENCY IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO DEAL WITH UM,
WHETHER IT IS HERE ON TRIBAL
LAND, OR WHETHER IT IS BACK HOME
ON THE CAMPUS OF BULLARD HIGH
SCHOOL WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
THIS IS KILLING PEOPLE. WE KEEP
SAYING WELL YOU KNOW? WOULDN'T
BE NICE TO BE DOING SOMETHING
ELSE. INSTEAD OF THIS ISN'T THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT? IF IT IS
AFFECTING OUR STATE. THE MOST
PRECIOUS INDIVIDUALS IN IT.
OBVIOUSLY THE. COMPLEX
INTERACTION BETWEEN SUPPLY
DEMAND. THERE HAS TO BE SOME
INTERDICTION. THERE HAS TO BE
SOME ACCOUNTABILITY. UH IT HAS
TO BE COMPREHENSIVE AS WELL. THE
TREATMENT SIDE IS SO VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. AND IT IS
DISCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT EVEN
PARTICULARLY ON TRIBAL LANDS
THAT SOME OF THAT, UM. IMPORTANT
NECESSARY INTERVENTION. IT IS
SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT HERE, UM ALSO
, WE'RE LEARNING THAT IT HAS TO
BE COOPERATIVE AS WELL. AND I
JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS. I HAVE
SAT THROUGH A NUMBER OF THESE
HEARINGS. I HAVE WORKED WITH OUR
FENTANYL OVERDOSE TEAM AND
FRESNO COUNTY. I'VE HEARD THE
STORIES. BUT SHED SOME TEARS
ALONG WITH THOSE WHO HAVE SHED
TEARS. WE'VE GOT TO DO A WHOLE
LOT MORE THAN SITTING HERE
LISTENING AND NODDING OUR HEADS.
WE HAVE TO ACT. AND I REALLY
BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO ACT
HOLISTICALLY. BUT THAT DOES
INCLUDE IN SOME SETS OF
CIRCUMSTANCES DECISION MAKING BY
THE LEGISLATURE THAT MAYBE
IDEOLOGICALLY AT THIS MOMENT,
DIFFICULT TO DO. AND I'M TALKING
ABOUT HOLDING DRUG DEALERS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR PURPOSELY
SELLING. TO THE MOST VULNERABLE
, SOMETHING THAT KILLS THEM ON
THE SPOT. YOU CAN APPREHEND. A
DRUG DEALER. WITH. 3 4000 PILLS.
BUT BECAUSE THE FENTANYL WEIGHT
IS SO LITTLE BEST WE CAN DO IS A
MISDEMEANOR. WE NEED TO BE
ADJUSTING. THE KILL POWER. THE
FENTANYL. WITH SOME OF THE OTHER
OPIOIDS AND COCAINE AND OTHER
HEROIN THAT'S OUT THERE. IF WE
REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS
AT A LEVEL THAT IS EXCRUCIATING
AND HEARTBREAKING. VERY
FRUSTRATING. THAT I THINK WE
NEED TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT
FENTANYL IS DOING. COMPARED TO
THE OTHER DRUGS WHERE WE HOLD
DRUG DEALERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
SELLING THEM. AND WE DON'T DO
THAT. WITH FENTANYL. IT'S SO
HAVE YOU KILL POWER. BUT SUCH A
LIGHTWEIGHT. AND SO THERE'S A
LOT OF THINGS WE COULD BE DOING.
I WANT TO JOIN WITH OTHER
MEMBERS HERE AND MY COMMITMENT
TO WORKING COMPREHENSIVELY. IN A
COOPERATIVE. WE UNDERSTAND IT'S
COMPLEX. THERE ARE ISSUES WITH
THE AVAILABILITY OF ADDICTION
TREATMENT. BUT AT THE END OF THE
DAY, THIS IS ABOUT SUPPLY AND
DEMAND. AND SOME OF OUR MOST
LOVED AND PRECIOUS INDIVIDUALS.
OR SO TRAPPED. BY THIS
ADDICTION. AND FOR THOSE OF US
WHO DON'T DON'T HAVE THAT
ADDICTION. PROBLEM. THAT COULD
HAPPEN TO ANYBODY, BY THE WAY,
BUT TO BE FREE OF THAT. IS
WONDERFUL. BUT WHEN YOU'RE
CAUGHT, AND YOU'VE SEEN IT IT
TAKES OVER AN ENTIRE LIFE. AND
THEIR EXISTENCE. IS FOCUSING ON
HOW DO I GET THAT NEXT. FIXED
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING GOING
ON AND PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
AND EMOTIONALLY THAT DRAGS ME
BACK. TO THE VERY THING THAT
COULD KILL ME. AND SO I
APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO BE
HERE. I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE
THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO HAVE
MENTIONED THAT THEIR HEARTS HAVE
BEEN BROKEN BY THE BROKENNESS OF
PEOPLE THAT THEY LOVED. BECAUSE
OF WHAT FENTANYL HAS DONE. I AM
SICK AND TIRED OF TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET OF THE
DEALER. THE MINDSET OF THE
DEALER IS THE BOTTOM LINE. LET'S
MAKE MONEY AND IF IT KILLS
PEOPLE, SO WHAT? THAT'S
INCARNATE EVIL. AND THERE HAS TO
BE AN ACCOUNTABILITY. FOR THAT
KIND OF INCARNATE EVIL. BUT ALSO
WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
ADDICTION. AND THE TREATMENT.
AND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY SO
THAT ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TRY TO
BREAK THAT CYCLE. HAS PEOPLE
THEY CAN GO TO PLACES THEY CAN
GO TO. AND STAY THERE LONG
ENOUGH. TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THAT DARKNESS. I APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY'S PART IN ALL OF THIS.
AND I COMMIT WITH THE CHAIRMAN.
TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND
AS COMPREHENSIVE, COMPLETE
COOPERATIVE WAY AS WE POSSIBLY
CAN. AND I APPRECIATE THE VOICES
FROM ALL OF THE SIDES TO THIS
COMPLEX MATTER FOR BEING HERE
AND SPEAKING TRUTH TO US. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MR PATTERSON.
WELL, SAID. UH, MISS SHAVER. I
JUST WANT TO AGAIN. THANK THANK
THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING US
TOGETHER. THANK THE V, A HUSBAND
AND NEWLY FOR BEING HERE AND ALL
OF THE SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS
TODAY. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T FIGURED
IT OUT. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT
THERE WERE A LOT OF GLIMMERS OF
HOPE AND SUCCESS IS THAT WE CAN
LEARN FROM AND WE KNOW WORK, AND
I THINK YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I HEARD TODAY ALSO
IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
RESOURCES ARE BEHIND THE THINGS
THAT ARE WORKING. UM AND THAT
PEOPLE REALLY HAVE THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO
AND BUILD UPON THE THINGS THAT
WE KNOW WILL WORK. UM YOU KNOW
IT. THERE. BEYOND HEARINGS LIKE
THIS. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT
HAPPENING AT THE STATEWIDE
LEVEL, AND, UM YOU KNOW, AND I
KNOW THAT THE CHAIRMAN HANEY
MENTIONED THAT THERE IS AROUND
25 BILLS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD
THIS YEAR THAT, UM, I THINK
REALLY RUN THE GAMUT AND ARE
VERY COMPREHENSIVE IN THEIR
APPROACH. UH AND WE KNOW WE NEED
TO DO ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO
DO ALL THE THINGS AROUND
PREVENTION AROUND STOPPING THE
FLOW AROUND MAKING SURE THAT
THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY. UM AND
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE
SERIES OF BILLS COMING FORWARD
THAT I HOPE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL
THAT I'M CO AUTHORING A BUNCH OF
THEM. UM BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS TO REALLY
TACKLE THIS ISSUE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE AND MAKE THE BIGGEST
IMPACT THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY
MAKE. UM SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN
OUR LAST FEW WEEKS OF SESSION
WHERE THESE BILLS ARE GOING TO
BE MOVING TO THE GOVERNOR'S
DESK. WE'RE NOT GONNA WE'RE NOT
GOING TO STOP PUSHING ONCE IT
GETS THROUGH OUR HOUSEHOLD.
CONTINUE TO PUSH AND MAKE SURE
THAT THEY GET THAT SIGNATURE
THAT THERE NEEDED TO, UM TO GO
INTO PLACE AND THEN ALSO
CONTINUE TO PUSH AROUND BUDGET
ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
HELPING TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT
ARE WORKING IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE
SAVING LIVES, AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE END.
SO VERY, UM COMMITTED TO DOING
THIS WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK. AND YOUR INSIGHT AND HOPE
TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER. I'M
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ON THIS
ISSUE AND SAVING LIVES. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN TO BOTH OF
YOU. AND MR ALVAREZ AND MISS
WALDRON ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMITTEE AGAIN. THANK YOU TO
ALL OF THE WITNESSES. THE
ATTENDEES TO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL
. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOSTING
US. SOMEONE ALSO, THANK MY STAFF
. UH THIS COMMITTEE IS SOMETHING
THAT WE'VE WE'VE TAKEN ON AND
HAS ALSO BEEN AH, SOMETHING THAT
MY OFFICE HAS REALLY? AH STEPPED
UP TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
AND OF COURSE, A LOT OF THAT
FALLS ON THE STAFF WHO HAS DONE
TREMENDOUS WORK WORKING WITH
EVERYONE HERE, UM CASSIDY AND
ABIGAIL FROM MY STAFF ARE BOTH
HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR
WORK AS WELL. SO NOW WE'RE GOING
TO ADJOURN THIS HEARING, AND I
KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LUNCH,
WHICH I THINK IS RIGHT OUT
THERE. AND THEN WE ARE PLANNING
TO LEAVE TO GO TO VISIT THE
CLINIC. I THINK AT AROUND ONE
O'CLOCK AGAIN. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, EVERYONE. WE'RE REALLY
GRATEFUL TO HAVE HELD THIS
HEARING. THIS IS REALLY THE
BEGINNING OR CONTINUATION OF A
CONVERSATION THAT AS YOU HEARD
UP HERE IS GOING TO LEAD TO
SOLUTION IS GOING TO LEAD TO
ACTION AND INVESTMENTS AND WILL
HOPEFULLY LEAD TO SOME ACTIONS
THAT SAVE LIVES. THANK YOU AGAIN
IN THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED.