Trump Opioid Crisis Declaration Offers Little Help For Local Health Departments

SEATTLE, WA - In 2016, more than 330 people died of a drug overdose in King County alone, a record year for drug overdose deaths. The opioid crisis is hitting Western Washington hard, and local health departments are on the front lines of the fight. But the federal declaration of the opioid crisis as a public health emergency won't do much for local health departments.

President Donald Trump declared the public health emergency in a speech Thursday. The declaration will help people in rural areas better access prescriptions to fight addiction. However, the fund used in the event of a public health emergency declaration, the Public Health Emergency Fund, has almost no money in it. The declaration does not include any other money for government agencies providing addiction treatment or prevention.

Seattle-King County Public Health spokesman James Apa told Patch the details of the declaration are still unclear. The department will continue to move forward with the recommendations of the Heroin and Prescription Opiate Addiction Task Force.

Most recently, King County helped fund a facility on Beacon Hill that will offer mental health care alongside detox services. The health department is also providing Naloxone kits to police departments. On Thursday, in fact, Seattle police reported that officers in the downtown area had used Naloxone to save the life of an overdose victim. Seattle officers have saved more than 20 people since mid-2016 with the anti-opioid drug.

Likewise, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is moving ahead with the state Interagency Opioid Working Plan.

"We are part of Pierce County’s Opioid Task Force, a group of community leaders who are exploring solutions to Pierce County’s opioid epidemic. Also, we support the State Interagency Opioid Working Plan and will continue to advocate for legislative and other reforms included in the plan," the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department wrote in a statement to Patch. "While the President’s announcement may not mean any immediate funding for local agencies fighting the opioid epidemic, we look forward to any future resources or support."

Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is suing OxyContin maker Purdue, said he was "disappointed" by Trump's declaration because there's no money attached.

"The national opioid emergency needs and deserves funding," Ferguson said on Twitter.

It is possible more money could come in the future. Trump is planning to put together money for combating the opioid crisis in a spending bill that should pass before the end of the year, according to the New York Times.

Congress in 2016 approved about $1 billion for states to battle the opioid crisis. Washington sought to use the money to create four mobile methadone clinics to reach people in rural areas. That plan is on hold pending approval by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Trump's emergency declaration will expire in 90 days.

Image via David Goldman/Associated Press