Organizations that provide resources to people with substance use disorders gathered Thursday in San Luis Obispo to share resources, thoughts, and ideas, but they also shared the struggles they face in making sure people get the help they need.
“This is the county I was raised in, this is the county I'm raising my children in, and anything I can do to better our county I'm here for and so an event like this gives us a platform to do that,” said Cami Cloward, Aegis Treatment Center Patient Navigator.
At the SLO Opioid Coalition’s gathering on Thursday, Cloward shared some of the challenges providers like Aegis are facing, like new drugs arriving on the local scene.
“Xylazine — it's a new drug that was huge on the East Coast. We are seeing it here. It's a tranquilizer. They are calling it a zombie drug. We’re now able to provide test strips so people can test their substances,” Cloward said.
Opioids are a big concern in San Luis Obispo County, where in 2022, there were 83 opioid-related overdoses, according to the California Department of Public Health.
That's why the SLO Opioid Safety Coalition and county service providers are working together to reduce substance and opioid abuse.
“The issue is much bigger than any one provider in the county so ultimately we all need each other to come together as a team to provide services,” said Brian Atwell, SLO Alcohol and Drug Program Supervisor.
SLO Bangers is a syringe exchange program that provides testing strips and Narcan to the homeless.
“When folks get displaced, it can be hard to follow up with them. There have been a lot of displacements happening in the county,” said Grace Legassick, SLO Bangers Syringe Exchange Outreach Coordinator. “It can take about a year to get back into contact with them and so any services being provided to them can be interrupted in that time.”
The event connected five different service providers in the county to understand what other service providers do so that when needed, providers can be quick on their feet to know who to go to when a patient needs help.
“It's just making SLO County a better county and better community for the children we're raising and the people who live here because it's amazing here and we want to keep it better and keep educating people,” Cloward said.
To get connected with the coalition visit this link.
