(Editor’s note: This story was written January 6 and updated April 23. )
The video is courtesy of John Alle, founder of the Santa Monica Coalition. He asks L.A. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer and L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, “Are these your kids, grandkids or nephews?
The L.A. County Drug Addition Program for users is called Harm Reduction. How does Harm Reduction stop drug use? It does not. Supposedly, by giving addicts new and clean needles, it keeps them alive until the decide they are ready to go into rehab.
Harm reduction, as defined by the County, allows those that are not ready to give up drugs to receive Naloxone, syringe exchange and linkages to treatment.
Harm Reduction does not require someone to stop using. But the program, which does not have any statistics that show effectiveness, is being expanded this year. The L.A. County budget for needle exchange is increasing from $5.4 to $31.5 million.
Responding to a May 31 CTN inquiry, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said “Harm reduction services have been demonstrated to reduce overdose deaths, reduce the public use of injectable drugs, reduce transmission of communicable diseases such as HIV/AID and hepatitis, increase access to substance use services, reduce the use of emergency medical services, and prevent the disruption of public safety.”
Then, CTN asked for the stats that show that the program works, that people with addictions are helped and stay “clean.”
The County said it is an “evidence-based” program, which meant there are no statistics to support its effectiveness. Free needles were/are given out in Reed, Tongva and Palisades Parks in Santa Monica.
Palisades resident John Alle, founder of the Santa Monica Coalition, posted this heartbreaking video December 27 with the question “Are these YOUR kids, grandkids or nephews?”
At a Los Angeles Department of Public Health two-hour forum held in March, Ferrer defended free needles for users and explained the benefits of “Harm Reduction.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO7KYTh8YP0&rco=1
The questions residents might want to ask is the program working by helping those with addiction problems? Or is continuing because funds have been provided to run it – and expand it?
On April 16, the Trump administration announced that it is considering a more than 30 percent cut, about $40 billion, to the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services. Funding for many of the administration’s priorities are on the chopping block, including federal programs focused on autism, chronic disease, drug abuse and mental health.
Those cuts would greatly impact the L.A. County Department of Health. About $1 billion would be cut from the county health department, which relies on two-thirds of its budget from federal grants.
The L.A. Times reported on April 22 that “Under the proposed federal cuts the county department would lose about $300 million and roughly 500 employees.” Ferrer, the County’s Public Health Director, said that those cuts would decimate local public health “as we know it today.”