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From YouTube: Committee on Public Health and Human Services 4-4-2018
Description
The Committee on Public Health and Human Services of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at 5:30 PM, at The Cardinal Bevilacqua Center, 2646 Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, to hear testimony on the following item:
180037 Resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings to assess the City of Philadelphia's efforts, as coordinated by the Managing Director's office and our Human services departments, to prevent and treat abuse, addiction, and disease related to the use of opioids.
Immediately following the public hearing, a meeting of the Committee on Public Health and Human Services, open to the public, will be held to consider the action to be taken on the above listed item.
Committee on Public Health and Human Services
Chair: Councilwoman Cindy Bass (8th District)
Vice Chair: Councilwoman Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez (7th District)
A
I'm
gonna
start
off
with
some
housekeeping
issues.
The
bathrooms
are
at
the
lower
level.
This
is
a
continuation
of
a
hearing
that
we
had
at
City
Hall.
We
are
going
to
start
with
some
of
the
folks
that
signed
up
for
testimony
last
time
that
didn't
get
an
opportunity.
We
will
have
a
three-minute
clock.
A
A
We
will
have
the
entire
transcript
if
you
want
to
be
included
in
future
discussions
when
you
sign
up,
please
give
us
your
email
address
or
your
address
for
those
who
don't
have
technology,
and
we
will
put
you
on
the
maytee
mailing
list
for
further
discussion
and
obviously
share
it
with
the
administration
in
terms
of
ground
rules.
You
know
this
is
a
respectful
conversation.
We
don't
want
people
being
disrespectful
or
shouting.
If
you
do,
we
will
ask
to
escort
you
out.
This
is
an
opportunity
for
folks
to
be
heard.
This
is
not
an
opera.
A
B
Resolution
number
one:
eight:
zero,
zero:
three
seven
authorizing
the
Committee
on
Public
Health
and
Human
Services
to
hold
hearings
to
assess
the
City
of
Philadelphia's
efforts
as
coordinating
by
the
managing
directors
office
and
our
Human
Services
Department,
to
prevent,
treat
and
to
prevent
and
treat
abuse.
Addiction
and
disease
relate
to
the
use
of
opioids.
B
The
first
panel
is
Eva
Gladstein
Deb,
deputy
managing
director
of
human
health
insert
and
Human
Services
Tom
Farley
health,
commissioner
and
city
of
Philadelphia
David
Jones
Commissioner
of
department
of
behavioral
health
and
intellectual
disability
services
and
Liz
Hirsch
director
of
office
of
services.
I
want.
A
C
Members
of
the
committee
see
if
that
works.
Yes,
okay,
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
regarding
resolution,
one
eight
zero
zero
three
seven
to
assess
the
city's
efforts
to
prevent
and
treat
abuse,
addiction
and
disease
related
to
the
use
of
opioids
I'm
joined
today
by
commissioners
from
three
of
the
Health
and
Human
Service
cabinet
agencies
to
my
left,
David
Jones
from
the
Department
of
Behavioral,
Health
and
intellectual
disability
services.
C
To
my
right,
commissioner,
Farley
from
the
Department
of
Public
Health,
and
to
his
right
Liz,
Hirsch
Commissioner
of
the
Department
of
the
office
of
homeless
services.
We
already
testified
on
March
12
for
several
hours.
Therefore,
here
today
just
to
provide
a
quick
update
on
that
testimony
on
behalf
of
my
office
and
those
agencies,
so
that
we
can
enable
the
community
members
members
to
testify
this
evening.
C
Unfortunately,
we
believe
that
the
opioid
crisis
still
has
not
peaked.
It's
a
national
crisis
and
communities
throughout
the
country
are
grappling
with
the
epidemic.
We
lost
about
1200
people
last
year
and
we
believe
the
number
is
still
going
up.
Even
at
the
height
of
the
AIDS
epidemic,
Philadelphia
lost
935
people
less
than
we
will
have
lost
last
year.
C
We
are
aggressively
pursuing
the
recommendations
of
the
mayor's
task
force
to
combat
the
opioid
epidemic,
which
is
to
slow
the
rate
of
opioid
prescriptions,
to
educate
the
public,
to
provide
treatment
in
more
settings
and
to
save
lives
with
narcan.
The
opioid
crisis
has
also
resulted
in
growing
numbers
of
people,
utilizing
drugs
and
living
in
the
streets.
Our
outreach
teams
and
the
police
department
are
providing
counts
of
people
living
on
Kensington,
Frankford,
tulip
and
emerald
streets.
C
The
count
taken
over
the
last
weekend
show
the
total
number
of
people
living
on
these
four
streets
at
a
hundred
and
seventy
eight
people
addressing
these
dual
challenges
of
addiction
and
homelessness
is
quite
difficult.
However,
we've
been
learning
what
seems
to
work.
Our
practice
has
evolved
continue
to
evolve
as
we
learn
and
then
is
the
crisis.
C
Or
if
the
crisis
takes
on
new
shapes
to
combat
addiction,
we
making
sure
that
treatment
is
of
high
quality
and
effective
and
removing
barriers
that
keep
it
from
being
accessible
in
2016
community
behavioral
health,
which
is
a
cities,
managed
care
organization
for
behavioral
health
services,
served
about
14,000
people
who
are
being
treated
for
opioid
use
disorder.
The
most
effective
treatment
for
this
disorder
is
medication,
assisted
treatment
or
mata
has
been
shown
to
be
twice
as
effective
as
other
types
of
treatment
for
opioid
use
disorder.
C
Therefore,
much
of
the
work
of
DBH
and
cbh
has
been
focused
on
increasing
the
availability
and
use
of
medication
assisted
treatment.
During
the
last
year
we
have
added
a
new
homeless
outreach
team
and
a
mobile
engagement
unit
at
prevention
point
Philadelphia
we've
also
developed
new
initiatives
in
the
Kensington
Fair
Hill
Irit
area,
with
teams
from
prevention,
point
project
home
and
one
day
at
a
time
in
order
to
engage
individuals,
connect
them
with
services,
support
treatment
and
housing.
C
We've
also
increased
a
number
of
days
a
week
that
on-site
assessment
is
offered
at
prevention
point
in
Philadelphia
and
we've
provided
a
vehicle
to
transport
participants
to
treatment
sites.
We've
added
funds
to
a
program
that
helps
individuals
to
obtain
identification
for
treatment,
access
to
address
homelessness.
We
are
providing
low
barrier
housing
resources
that
do
not
require
sobriety
prevention.
Point
is
now
housing,
40
individuals
and
we'll
be
adding
another
40
units
within
the
next
few
weeks.
We
are
also
providing
housing.
First,
those
are
apartments
for
75
individuals.
In
the
mayor's
budget.
C
C
Over
the
last
few
weeks,
we've
been
working
on
a
pilot
in
camp
plan
that
builds
on
the
lessons
we
have
learned.
It
is
based
on
a
model
that
was
used
successfully
in
San
Francisco
we've
been
meeting
with
local
civic
associations
and
Community
Development
Corporation's,
including
West
Kensington
Somerset
neighbors
for
better
living
Harrogate,
East,
Kensington,
Neighborhood,
Association,
visitation,
bbm,
Orca,
I,
say
New.
Kensington
CDC
and
impact
services
in
order
to
review
the
plans
and
provide
and
to
ask
them
to
provide
needed
input.
C
Essentially,
the
plan
will
be
to
begin
to
conduct
intensive
outreach
and
engagement
for
a
sustained
period
of
time
at
the
encampments
to
develop
a
by
name
list
of
the
individuals
living
there
and
understanding
what
their
concerns
and
issues
are.
We're
establishing
a
navigation
center
that
will
provide
respite
housing
for
40
individuals
and
people
will
be
able
to
move
as
a
community
with
their
belongings,
we're
also
developing
a
menu
of
other
services,
including
treatment
withdrawal
management
mediation.
To
enable
folks
to
reconnect
to
family,
ID
and
access
to
benefits.
C
We
will
be
offering
all
these
services
and
setting
a
timeline
for
folks
to
accept
these
resources
and
leave.
The
encampments
will
be
starting
with
two
of
the
encampments
to
determine
how
well
this
will
work
and
also
because
we
do
have
a
limit
to
our
resources
and
in
order
to
ask
people
definitively
to
move,
we
have
to
be
able
to
offer
these
resources.
We
are
not
releasing
the
exact
dates,
as
we
believe
it
would
interfere
with
our
ability
to
carry
out
the
outreach
and
engagement.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
this
evening.
D
Thank
you
for
your
testimony.
I
have
a
few
questions.
I
first
want
to
thank
everybody
for
coming
out.
Clearly,
it's
a
big
problem
when
you
get
a
reception
like
this
there's
a
lot
of
concern,
so
you
mentioned
other
cities
across
the
country
and
we're
not
the
only
city
that
has
this
issue
of
all
the
other
cities
across
the
country.
Are
there
two
or
three
cities
that
are
doing
a
really
good
job
in
addressing
this
problem?.
C
D
Specifically
mentioned
encampments
and
Tran,
hopefully,
treatment
I
mean
I've
driven
a
lot
of
the
blocks
in
this
neighborhood,
including
Emerald
Street,
Kensington
Frankfort
avenues,
and
you
see
how
many
people
are
living
underneath
the
bridges
basically
well.
This
program
address
that
issue,
100
percent
50
percent.
What
would
the
residents
of
then?
They
would
expect
to
see
after
this
program
with.
C
The
beginning
with
the
pilot
were,
as
I
mentioned,
planning
to
address
two
of
the
encampments
and
that's
due
to
the
limit
of
our
resources
and
also
because
we
feel
we're
gonna
learn
something.
Unfortunately,
not
everybody
is
perfect.
First
time
out
of
the
gate
and
we'll
want
to
be
able
to
improve
on
our
practice,
but
we
would
continue
to
work
to,
and
we
will
be
evaluating
this.
C
C
D
C
I
said
is
the
mayor's
budget
proposal
includes
about
four
million
dollars
annually
about
2.2
of
that
was
for
low
barrier
housing.
Some
of
it
is
to
support
the
hub
of
Hope,
which
we
another
engagement
center,
that
we
opened
up
downtown.
Some
of
it
is
to
increase
the
number
of
physicians
who
can
provide
medication,
assisted
treatment,
and
some
of
the
resources
will
be
applied
in
the
Kensington
community
to
help
with
cleanup
efforts
and.
C
C
Some
of
it
is
about
money
and
some
of
it
about
identifying
locations
and
just,
for
example,
with
I'm
working
on
yet
another
respite,
but
that
will
take
some
time
to
do
the
kind
of
work
necessary.
The
cost
of
a
respite
for
40
people,
because
we're
trying
to
make
sure
they're
not
too
large,
would
be
about
$600,000
a
year,
but
that's
not
including
any
site.
You
know
acquisition
costs
or
construction
costs.
So
just
the
operating
costs
for
a
respite
I
can.
D
C
A
E
A
So
half
of
1.5
billion
dollars
and
IVA-
you
mentioned
the
fact
that
in
this
budget
we
have
four
million
dollars
in
new
money,
including
hub
of
Hope
or
though
I
wanted
to
clarify
for
the
record
that
the
hub
of
Hope
money
is
different
than
the
2.2
million
dollars
for
low
barrier
housing
that
that's
been
put
here
right.
So
at
the
last
session
we
also
talked
about
the
number
of
beds
and
the
information.
That's
out
there,
that
at
any
given
time,
25
percent
of
our
beds
are
empty.
I'm.
A
E
Just
the
point
of
clarification,
so
when
we
were
talking
about,
we
were
actually
talking
about
medication,
assisted
treatment,
slots
not
beds.
We
were
talking
about
medication,
assisted
treatment
slots,
and
so
what
we
had
indicated
was
that
we
had
somewhere
around
twenty
five
percent
capacity,
so
that
meant
that
if
an
individual
needed
to
receive
or
participate
in
medication
assisted
treatment,
there
were
slots
available
for
that
individual
to
participate
in
treatment.
How.
F
Hirsch,
director
of
the
office
of
homeless
services,
we
have
about
3500
emergency
housing
or
shelter
beds.
The
goal
is
for
all
of
them
to
be
low
barrier
and
then
we're
adding
the
40
new
with
a
new
respite
and
then
40
more
next
year.
We
have
1600
transitional
housing
beds
and
we
have
about
I
think
all
in
about
6,500
permanent
supported
housing
units,
and
we
run
at
90
to
120
percent
occupancy
at
any
given
time,
in
some
instances
we're
squeezing
people
into
rooms
together
and
in
some
cases
we
may
have
people
sitting
up
at
night.
F
F
A
F
E
E
And
those
were
a
part
of,
as
I
indicated
they
were
part
of
a
treatment.
So
if,
in
fact,
someone
for
example
was
getting
substance
use
treatment
and
they
were
part
of
journey
of
hope,
that
was
a
treatment
that
was
a
bad
attach
to
it,
but
that
those
also
were
temporary.
Those
were
not
permanent,
supported.
A
G
You
thank
you,
madam
chair
and
I'm,
not
a
lot
of
questions.
Cuz
I
know
we
want
other
people
to
speak
and
not
last
time,
but
my
we
had
talked
about
getting
people
into
services
and
is
there
anything
we're
doing
to
maybe
extend
the
timeline
that
when
people
come
into
a
facility
that
we
could
take
24
to
48
hours,
get
them
the
assistance
they
need
and
then
get
them
get
C,
be
a
chore
or
DBH
the
information
that
then
they
could
be
reimbursed
for.
E
So
I
think
what
we're
trying
to
do
is
really
look
at
any
barriers
that
prevent
individuals
from
being
able
to
access
treatment.
The
the
challenge
around
accessing
treatment
really
has
been
around
having
identification
and
accessing
medication
assisted
treatment.
That
really
has
been,
but
you
really
don't
require,
there's
not
a
requirement
for
mental
health
corcoran
other
levels
of
care,
so
it
really
has
been
around
m80
medication,
assisted
treatment
and
again
we're
trying
to
do
everything
we
can
to
reduce
those
barriers.
Some
of
that
again
is
those
are
both
kind
of
federal
and
state
regulations,
but.
G
If
can
we
allow
them
that
provider
more
time
to
get
that
information
to
us,
bother
treating
them
or
they're,
saying
you
they
they
and
if
they
I
mean
it
would
be
both
that
they
would
take
a
risk
and
we
would
take
a
little
bit
of
a
risk,
but
if
they
didn't
get
approved,
they
wouldn't
get
reimbursed.
But
they
know
that
these
people
need
the
treatment
right
away,
so
they're
trying
to
get
them
into
assistance.
Yep.
E
So
what
we
also
are
exploring
is
looking
at
withdrawal
management,
which
would
then
allow
for
an
individual
to
go
directly
into
treatment.
I
think
it's
the
point
that
you're
making
and
then
have
those
issues
in
terms
of
the
detoxification
detoxification
that
would
occur
while
they're
in
treatment
have
that
happen
again.
They
wouldn't
didn't,
have
to
go
into
what
historically
been
detox
for
three
five
seven
days
and
then
transition
or
treatment.
So
we
are
exploring
that
there
are
a
couple
of
providers
that
are
currently
operating,
withdraw
management
in
our
system.
G
C
E
A
A
F
I
C
I
add
one
other
response:
I
think
to
enable
people
to
get
withdrawal
management
at
locations
that
are
providing
other
services.
What
the
goal
is
that
they
won't
have
to
kind
of
leave
one
service
to
connect
to
treatment,
and
so
there'll
be
fewer
people
who
kind
of
fall
out
of
the
system,
because
they're
they're
not
having
to
complete
detox
and
then
go
someplace
else
for
treatment
and
get
a
new
assessment.
A
Again,
we
don't
want
to
consume
all
of
the
time
with
this
discussion
and
we
can
have
a
broader
systems.
Discussion
again,
I
encourage
folks
to
go
on
the
website
and
look
at
the
previous
discussion.
We
had
around
this
hearing.
I
appreciate
the
fact
that
cbh
and
dr.
Jones
did
submit
some
of
the
public
information.
I
encourage
people
to
go
on
CB
HS
website.
I
will
note
that
on
there
we
still
did
not
see
a
board
of
directors.
A
We
still
did
not
see
a
public
listing
of
meetings,
and
so
we
will
continue
to
ask
for
the
highest
public
transparency
around
the
decision-making
around
providers
and
accessibility.
Let
me
also
put
on
the
record
that
I
think
it
is
is.
It
is
hugely
important
that
we
develop
a
patient's
Bill
of
Rights
and
that
the
directory
this
Excel
directory
around
the
providers
that
was
established
on
the
CB
8.
While
it's
a
very
good
start,
it
does
not
provide
patients
with
the
ability
to
see
clinic
whether
their
profit
or
for-profit
CEO
board
information
on
any
of
that.
A
D
C
J
Don't
I
don't
know
of
any
jurisdiction
that
has
priced
that
out
and
those
were
18
recommendations.
The
crisis
has
continued
to
get
worse
here,
as
in
every
other
city
in
this
country.
That's
it
evolves,
and
so
new
situations
are
going
to
come
up,
and
so
there
may
be
issues
that
we'll
have
to
do
new
things
beyond
what
those
recommendations
were
which
were
done
in
put
out
in
May
of
2017.
But
that
is
the
administration's
plan
and
was
a
plan
that
was
developed
by
more
than
150
people.
E
So
I
think
councilman,
Tom
I
think
what
the
the
18
recommendations
that
was
put
forward
by
the
taskforce,
I
think
are,
represents
a
comprehensive
plan.
We've
actually
been
making
progress
on
implementing
those
recommendations
and
so
I
think
again
it's
pretty
comprehensive.
It
just
does
not
have
it.
Just
doesn't
have
dollars
attached
to
each
of
the
recommendations.
I
guess.
D
I'm
gonna
break
it
down
now.
I
live,
for
example,
I
live
a
half
a
block
from
pick
one
of
the
streets
where
there's
an
issue
frankfurter
Kensington
or
wherever,
and
I
and
I
have
two
kids,
okay
or
ages,
four
and
eight,
and
they
have
to
walk
through
there
every
day,
I'm
flip
out
on
the
city
I'd
be
like
so
upset,
and
that's
why
I'm
here
tonight
I
mean
I
am
only
here,
because
when
I
ran
for
office,
councilwoman
sanchez
took
me
on
a
tour
of
her
district
and
show
me
what
was
going
on.
D
I
was
like
flabbergasted
that
this
was
occurring,
so
we
can't
let
this
as
a
city
occur,
and
this
has
not
been
really
resolved.
In
the
last
few
years,
we've
moved
people
from
3rd
and
Indiana,
but
now
they're
in
different
areas
and
I,
don't
see
a
concrete
plan
to
deal
with
178
people
and
the
bigger
problem
that
we
need
to
solve,
because
people
aren't
gonna
tolerate
it.
If.
J
I
could
just
add
that
you
know
this
is
a
crisis.
It
has
many
different
manifestations
to
it.
You're
focusing
on
one
which
is
homelessness
associated
with
opioid
use.
Other
manifestations
include
overdose
deaths,
which
is
as
the
health
commissioner,
that's
the
one
that
I
thought
the
most
because
its
babies
born
addicted.
It
includes
people
who
are
not
functional
in
the
workplace
because
they're
using
opioids,
because
many
other
things
that
the
mayor's
Task
Force
was
trying
to
address
everything.
Meanwhile,
the
crisis
continues
to
get
worse
here,
as
in
every
other
city.
J
Because
of
the
arrival
of
fentanyl
does
there
need
to
be
further
development
sure
that
there
has
been
more
development
of
the
homeless
related
plan?
I
wouldn't
I,
wouldn't
agree
with
the
claim
that
we
don't
have
a
plan
for
this
I
do
think
we
have
a
plan,
but
the
crisis
continues
to
evolve
and
we're
gonna
have
to
continue
to
evolve
time
with
it.
I
guess.
D
My
point
is
that
we
should
take
more
efforts
to
step
up
the
plan
and
have
a
more
comprehensive
plan
and
put
more
money
towards
it.
It
was
a
crisis.
I
mean
favor
of
that,
even
though
I'm
usually
pretty
conservative
on
spending
money,
but
this
is
an
issue
that
we
have
to
address
so
my
thoughts.
Thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
G
You
Mary
and
make
one
last
comment,
not
gonna
question,
but
knowing
that
these
recommendations,
really
none
of
them,
included
the
encampments.
So
even
though
we
had
those
recommendations,
we
didn't
include
encampments
and
how
we're
dealing
with
that
and
the
quality
of
life
issues
surrounding
that,
not
only
for
the
people
that
are
living
there
for
the
surrounding
communities
have
to
deal
with
it
and.
G
C
You're
trying
to
get
us
off
the
stand
here.
Yes,
that's
a
point:
I
was
going
to
make
and
I
think
it's
well
taken.
It's
one
that
developed
I
think
as
we
were
creating
working
on
the
task
for
us,
so
it
wasn't
evident
at
the
beginning,
there's
been
a
tremendous
amount
of
work
that
that
we
have
done
with
community
partners,
although
it
is
not
addressed
in
the
mayor's
task
force
plan-
and
you
know
that
includes
litter.
C
Cleanup
includes
beautification
a
number
of
blocks
and
includes
el
Barrios,
new
oyster
Oh,
the
organizing
work
and
work
that
we're
doing
with
the
Community
Development
Corporation's
I.
Think.
The
specific
issue
that
councilman
Dom
has
mentioned,
which
is
actually
removing
people
who
are
now
residing
on
the
streets,
is
one
that
we've
been
working
on
in
a
very
concentrated
effort
for
the
last
several.
C
This
is
new
for
us.
We're
working
really
hard
to
get
something
done,
that
will
that
will
be
effective.
That
will
stick
and
now
we
can
then
replicate
and
again
we've
been
trying
to
meet
for
probably
about
six
weeks
or
more
with
the
civic
associations
most
directly
affected
and
the
Community
Development
Corporation's,
because
they're
living
with
it
every
day
and
we
think
it's
important
to
have
their
input
and
frankly
their
support
for
doing
it.
A
A
K
While
folks
are
coming
forward,
I
just
wanted
to
number
one
apologize
for
being
tardy
this
after
this
evening,
but
I
really
want
to
thank
everyone
for
being
here
to
talk
about
this
very
important
issue.
Again,
my
name
is
Cindy
bass.
I
represent
the
8th
district,
which
is
in
the
northwest
section
of
the
city
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
K
We
go
from
broaden
Lehigh
up
to
66th
and
brought
up
to
Chestnut
Hill
and
over
the
second
and
a
Boulevard,
so
it's
a
lot
of
real
estate
to
cover
and
there's
a
lot
of
issues
in
all
of
that
real
estate,
and
this
is
obviously
a
very,
very,
very
significant
and
important
issue
and
I
just
really
wanted
to
thank
everyone
for
being
here
today.
We
had
some
conversation.
We
need
to
have
more
conversation
about
this
issue,
because
it's
not
something
that's
just
going
to
go
away.
We
need
solutions.
K
We
need
to
not
fight
each
other
but
work
to
find
solutions
to
help
each
other
and
for
any
one
of
us.
When
we
look
at
the
encampments
we
could
say,
but
for
the
grace
of
God
there
go
I
and
so
all
that
being
said
once
again,
I
wanted
to
really
just
say
thank
you
to
everyone
who's
here
tonight
and
look
forward
to
hearing
all
of
your
testimony.
Thank
you.
L
Thank
you.
My
name
is
Jose
Benitez
I
am
the
executive
director
of
our
prevention
point
Philadelphia
and
I
was
just
asked
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
some
of
the
programs
that
have
been
successful.
I
know
it
feels
that
we're
not
making
progress,
but
there
there
is
some
progress
being
made
as
we
speak.
L
One
of
them
is
that
we
were
with
the
help
and
support
of
the
City
office
of
homeless
services,
along
with
the
with
cbh,
along
with
the
Behavioral
Health
System,
and
along
with
the
assistance
of
our
Councilwoman,
we
were
able
to
open
a
small
what
we
call
a
respite,
40
bed
facility
at
the
old
village,
thrift.
We
have
been
running
the
respite
for
the
last
three
years.
It
started
off
with
a
cooperation
with
project
home
we've
housed
in
the
respite.
L
So
having
this
small
approach
and
then
a
targeted
case
management
approach
has
allowed
us
to
place
people
get
them
off
the
street
into
low
barrier
housing
and
in
some
cases,
treatment
and
longer-term
housing,
so
that,
as
a
model
has
been
something
that
has
been
working
for
us.
Even
though
we're
on
a
small
scale,
then
recently
we
were
asked
to
assist
with
an
additional
40
beds,
that's
being
funded
again
by
the
office
of
homeless
services,
and
we
hope
to
have
an
additional
40
beds
up
and
running
by
May
1st.
L
L
That's
within
the
last
year
we
already
have
a
hundred
and
fifty
of
those
200
slots
filled
and
over
I
would
say
close
to
80%
of
the
people
that
are
in
our
medically
assisted
treatment.
Slots
are
doing
well,
they're
stabilized
and
are
really
working
hard
to
working
hard
on
their
programs
and
are
doing
well
at
this
particular
point.
I
just
think
that
we
as
a
community
have
it's
a
it's.
It's
a
tough
situation.
It's
not
it's
a
complex
issue,
so
not
one
thing
is
going
to
sort
of
solve
our
problem.
L
We
need
to
have
a
multiple,
multiple
approaches
to
what
we're
doing
now
at
this
particular
point,
and
some
of
them
have
to
be
things
that
we
try
and
see
that
are
new,
that
we
try
and
see.
You
know
how
we
can
support
people
so
that
we
could
get
them
back
on
on
to
to
stable,
stable
lives
and
hopefully
to
some
stable
housing.
A
L
I
could
do
that.
What
I
can
tell
you
is
that
we
are
being
supported
by
our
respite
cost
about
four
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
dollars
a
year
to
run.
If
we're
doing
it
year-round
and
mind
you
that
we
are
it's
limited,
so
we're
not
open
24/7
unless
there's
a
weather
emergency
so
that
we
can,
we
can
get
you
so.
L
L
It's
gonna
cost
us
some
resources,
I
mean
I,
think
that's
one
of
the
pieces
of
it,
but
I
think
we're
starting
to
put
the
pieces
together
right.
It's
smaller
RESP,
it's
it's
engaging
people
in
groups,
because,
whether
we
like
it
or
not,
as
a
community,
you
know
and
and
and
unfortunately,
I
have
to
say
some
tough
things
here
which,
whether
we
like
it
or
not
as
a
community,
those
the
the
encampments
have
become
communities
and
we
have
to
engage
them
in
a
way.
L
That's
both
respectful
and
honest
to
that
right
to
work
with
people
as
community,
so
that,
if
we're,
you
know
we're
going
to
try.
This
I
think
I'm
Eeva
sort
of
made
mention
of
this
in
her
testimony,
we're
trying
to
which
we're
gonna
try
this
we're
going
to
try
to
move
people
as
a
community
together
and
then
intensely
work
with
them.
But
it
is
a
resource
issue,
because
housing
is
a
huge
issue
in
every
city
in
this
country
right,
so
it
becomes
difficult
for
us
to
move
people
down
the
line
and
I
think
that's!
That's!
G
You
go
and
I
want
to
thank
you
for
your
service
and
and
what
it
means
to
the
city
part
of
this.
The
city's
issue
I
think
was,
and
now
that
we
had
the
movement
as
a
community.
We
allowed
these
communities
to
build
and
to
develop,
and
it
makes
us
harder
for
us
now
to
address
them
and
I
think
so.
What
we,
what
we're
looking
for
is
trying
to
move
most
communities
but
also
try
to
make
sure
that
they
just
don't
have
the
opportunities
to
create
new
communities
in
different
places
and
I.
G
Think
by
that,
we
do
need
enough
resources
to
do
that.
We
do
need
more
beds
and
understanding
we're
going
to
be
opening
up
another
respite,
but
we
as
a
city
are
willing
to
come
up
with
those
additional
resources.
To
do
that
again,
we
have
to
find
locations
and
that's
challenging,
and
but
we
know
that
if
we
now
have
these
resources
these
locations
for
our
folks
to
go
to
get
assistance,
we
then
could
say
you
know
what
we
have
places
for
you
to
go.
L
Eye
I
agree:
councilman,
I,
appreciate,
I,
appreciate
the
the
comments.
I
agree
with
that
I
think
it's
its
some
in
lots
of
time
and
in
my
experience
doing
this,
it's
slow
work
because
we
have
to
develop
some
trust
with
people,
and
then
we
also,
as
I
said
it
does
become
a
resource
issue
and
it's
sort
of
trying
to
find
different
places
for
people
to
be
I
constantly
say
to
our
staff.
You
have
to
have
scrambled
eggs,
eggs
over-easy,
it's
ready
for
people,
because
some
people
don't
like
one.
L
You
know
that
some
people
won't
like
the
scrambled
eggs.
They
want
the
omelet
and
we
have
to
figure
all
of
those
kinds
of
menu
items
out
in
our
service
delivery
system
and
I.
Think
that
that's
sort
of
where
we're,
where
we're
headed
and
on
this
crisis
has
allowed
us
to
have
to
have
this
conversation.
I.
Think
it's
it's!
L
You
know
we
can
all
agree
it's
past
due
time
that
we
have
this
conversation,
but
I
think
the
approaches
are,
are
changing
and-
and
you
know
it's
unfortunate
I-
don't
know
if
they're
gonna
change
fast
enough
to
meet
all
of
the
need,
but
at
least
we
are
heading
in
a
direction
where
we're
listening
to
each
other,
and
so
I
appreciate
that.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
M
So
you
can
imagine
the
disbelief
that
I
and
those
in
my
community
had
when
it
had
been
announced
that
a
pilot
for
a
safe
injection
site
was
approved
in
the
January
22nd
2018
report
on
exploratory
site
visits
for
comprehensive
user
engagement
sites
by
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
a
mouthful,
to
say
the
least
that
doesn't
help
our
community
members
understand
what
it
means.
This
approval
has
been
the
subject
of
much
controversy
because
our
community
has
been
plagued
by
the
opioid
crisis
for
decades.
M
This
community
of
Kensington,
predominantly
a
Latino
community,
has
suffered
for
far
too
long,
and
our
voices
have
not
been
heard.
We,
the
residents
of
Kensington
and
citizens
of
Philadelphia
County,
do
not
believe
that
adding
a
safe
injection
site
within
an
existing
drug
hub
will
make
matters
better
for
our
children,
for
our
families
or
for
the
opioid
user
community
who
need
effective
treatment.
Instead,
we
feel
that
it
will
further
deteriorate.
M
M
The
widest
misconception
that
this
administration
and
those
in
favour
of
a
safe
injection
sites
spread
is
the
false
idea
that
we,
the
residents,
do
not
want
to
save
lives
and
that
we
are
by
default
wasting
lives.
By
having
this
conversation,
this
hostility
is
what
angers
us,
and
it
is
not
the
way
to
have
these
conversations
if
we
are
beyond
the
point
of
conversation
than
it
is
only
because
there
were
people
in
power
who
never
wanted
to
have
it
until
it
started
to
impact
the
city's
cash
flow.
M
We're
the
ones
who
witness
this
every
day
and
the
communities
and
local
counties
that
they
come
from
don't
have
to
deal
with
the
problem
either,
and
we
need
to
be
very
transparent
that
we
have
a
community
of
predominantly
white
users
and
one
of
the
most
concentrated
Latino
communities
in
the
United
States
we've
been
dealing
with
the
proliferation
of
trash,
encampments
and
drug
use
in
front
of
our
schools
and
overdoses
in
front
of
our
homes.
Families
are
moving
out
of
their
long-term
homes
that
they
own
to
rent
elsewhere.
M
And
now
fentanyl,
laced
heroin
or
fentanyl
laced
cocaine
disguised.
This
heroin
causes
death
for
those
who
take
it
and
it's
and
we
want
to
know
why
is
this
being
approved
to
be
taken
out
of
sight
in
our
neighborhood
where
our
children
live?
In
brief,
there
has
been
no
mention
of
how
to
protect
the
residents
residents
of
the
community,
who
have
been
endangered
by
rampant
drug
use
in
our
near
our
churches.
M
You're
not
including
our
lives,
you're,
not
thinking
about
me
and
what
I
experienced
growing
up
you're,
not
thinking
about
my
children,
who
will
be
exposed
to
this
as
long
as
we
live
here
and
you're,
not
spreading
the
responsibility
to
the
counties
whose
residents
come
to
Philadelphia
and
become
addicts
and
are
honest
about
where
the
majority
of
our
users
are
coming
from,
and
you
have
not
helped
users
as
a
community
access
treatment,
care
and
housing,
because
you
are
too
focused
on
one
solution.
As
opposed
to
thinking
of
holistically
about
this
community.
M
You
have
not
solved
the
first
problem
you
created
of
the
encampments
by
cleaning
dirty
street
and,
while
I'm
deeply
concerned
about
the
lives
of
those
who
are
at
risk
and
overdosing,
while
they're
in
the
throes
of
a
powerful
addiction.
I
cannot
prioritize
the
ravenous
nosov
addiction
by
enabling
it
over
the
lives
and
safety
of
our
families,
our
children
and
allow
them
to
experience
the
freedom
to
live
a
normal
life
in
their
neighborhood.
Thank
you.
A
A
N
Take
my
son
to
school
and
their
free
drug
giveaways
and
these
people
with
opiate
epidemics,
are
running
through
the
children.
This
is
happening
at
comma,
middle
school,
I
call
the
police.
The
security
guard
calls
the
cops
they
never
come
and
we're
rushing
the
kids
into
the
schoolyard.
Meanwhile,
the
drug
dealing
is
happening
right
there.
It's
free
drugs
are
giving
away
to
these
people
on
another
day.
My
son
is
sick
and
they
question
me:
I
show
my
ID.
N
They
say
who
are
you
who
you're
here
to
pick
up
all
this
other
information
I'm
into
I'm
in
the
school?
At
that
time?
I
didn't
know
that
there
was
a
guy
behind
me
with
opiate
issues,
so
he
ring
buzzes
and
he
says
I'm
here
to
pick
up.
Lucas
Gonzalez,
don't
let
his
father
Gilbert
Gonzalez,
take
him
because
his
mother
just
called
me
I'm
here
to
pick
him
up
right
so
I
said,
call
the
cops
and
they
said
the.
E
N
A
I'm
trying
to
get
through
the
list
of
folks
who
missed
out
at
the
last
one
so
I
have
Brooke
Feldman
stadia
Beavis.
I
know
Raymond
Cruz
turned
in
something
and
writing:
oh
Vanessa
Baker
I'm!
Sorry,
if
you
all
can
proceed,
I'm
gonna,
I'm,
gonna,
keep
moving
along
then
and
that's
the
Baker
and
then
figure
out
Vargas.
A
O
Thank
You
Thank
You
counsel.
Thank
you
for
having
me
I
apologize
for
my
attire.
I
was
dealing
at
one
in
encampments,
making
sure
that
the
folks
down
there
could
hear
what
was
happening
here
tonight.
I
said
they
were
listening.
Intently
I
somebody's
broke
thelmon
in
1993,
my
mother,
Marcia
Holman,
was
found
dead
in
her
Kensington
home
from
a
fatal
heroin
overdose,
as
a
child.
I
couldn't
understand
why
my
mother
would
choose
to
use
drugs
over
being
a
mom
I,
certainly
couldn't
understand
why
she
would
choose
to
do
something
that
would
ultimately
end
her
life.
O
It
wasn't
until
I
develop
my
own
challenges
as
an
adolescent
with
mental
illness
and
addiction
that
I
understand
more
than
I
ever
wanted
to
how
addiction
wasn't
a
choice
that
my
mom
made.
My
mom
didn't
choose
to
develop
mental
health
challenges
and
substance
use
disorder,
and
neither
did
I
I
spent
my
adolescent
years
in
and
out
of
Philadelphia's
behavioral
health
and
juvenile
justice
system.
At
one
point,
I
was
told
by
psychiatrists
that
I
would
likely
be
institutionalized
for
the
rest
of
my
life.
O
Not
only
did
I
have
very
little
hope
for
my
future,
but
it
seemed
like
my
family
and
the
system
didn't
have
much
of
it
for
me,
either
by
the
age
of
23,
I
had
a
full-blown
opioid
use
disorder.
I
found
myself
having
become
the
very
thing
I
swore
I
would
never
become,
as
my
body
screen
for
opioids
each
morning
as
soon
as
I
woke
up
and
with
the
daily
decision,
president
of
either
finding
a
way
to
use
a
few
ways
to
alleviate
the
pain
or
just
end
my
life
once
and
for
all
to
end.
O
O
Although
access
having
access
to
recovery
should
never
be
about
look
in
2005
as
an
unemployed
Philadelphian
with
a
full-blown
opioid
use,
disorder,
I
was
able
to
receive
public
assistance
and
was
met
with
an
open
door
into
treatment
and
recovery
housing,
the
latter
of
which
was
funded
by
the
Office
of
addiction
services.
For
a
nine-month
stay
a
length
of
stay
that
is
absolutely
unheard
of
in
today's
system,
it
was
likely
the
difference
between
my
sustained
long
term
recovery
or
returning
to
using
drugs.
O
Also
I
was
a
recipient
of
a
favor
called
in
by
the
recovery
house
manager,
who
saw
something
in
me
when
I
showed
for
help.
It
is
not
lost
on
me
that
had
I
showed
up
with
a
different
color
of
skin
with
a
white
woman
who
didn't
know
me
have
been
so
able
to
see
something
in
me
and
so
willing
to
call
in
a
favor.
It's
also
not
lost
on
me
that
filly
systems
not
to
this
day
most
often
require
knowing
somebody
who
knows
somebody
who
knows
somebody
who
can
get
them
what
they
need.
O
Access
to
recovery
should
it
be
a
B
outlook,
it
shouldn't
be
about
privilege
and
it
shouldn't
be
about
having
connections
to
the
right
people.
I
spent
the
majority
of
the
PS
13
years
of
my
recovery,
giving
back
and
paying
it
forward
in
a
variety
of
roles.
Throughout
Philly
system,
I've
worked
in
recovery,
housing
treatment,
a
recovery
community
organization,
the
Department
of
the
heat
behavioral
health
I've,
also
T
my
bachelor's
degree
in
social
work
and
will
graduate
from
Penn.
A
O
You
know
me
going
from
being
locked
up
in
handcuffs
and
shackles.
You
know
blocks
away
in
the
system.
To
graduating
from
Penn
is
a
testament
that
recovery
is
absolutely
possible.
My
recovery
wasn't
me
possible,
though,
by
something
amazing
about
me.
There's
nothing,
amazing
and
special
about
me.
It
really
was
me
possible
by
having
access
to
the
resources
and
support
I
needed
when
I
needed
them
and
for
how
long
I
needed
them.
O
When
I
look
at
how
my
recovery
has
benefited
not
only
me
but
my
family,
my
community,
my
city
and
beyond,
it
is
clear
that
recovery
must
be
me
possible
for
everybody,
one
person's
recovery,
ripples
out
and
positively
impacts
all
those
around
them.
We
all
benefit
when
someone
has
a
chance
to
find
recovery,
we
have
long
had
an
addiction
crisis
of
Philadelphia
didn't
soar
with
opioids.
We
have
long
had
this
I.
O
We
have
long
had
a
behavioral
health
system
and
need
a
DIYer
improvement,
one
that
doesn't
require
luck
or
that
isn't
perfectly
designed
to
only
work
for
some.
While
our
system
has
made
great
progress
over
the
past
decade,
much
progress
remains
to
be
made.
Some
key
changes
that
must
be
made
or
on
the
meet
on
demand,
truck
treatment,
access.
Q
A
I
Aviva's,
home
quarters
and
friends,
community
activists
also
with
the
25th
place,
is
York
Advisory
Council,
based
on
my
experience
in
just
assisting
many
in
different
areas
to
include
clothing,
feeding,
guiding
them
to
detox
and
programs,
even
outside
of
Philadelphia
I've
gone
as
far
as
even
going
to
the
morgue.
So
it's
been
very
touching
so
at
this
point
the
only
thing
I
can
do
is
recommend
based
on
my
experience
with
those,
because
they
also
end
up
being
a
lot
of
them
end
up
being
like
your
family
too.
I
It
would
be
nice
to
have
a
separate
room
and
a
separate
exit,
so
if
I
say,
for
example,
if
I'm
an
addict
and
I
say
I
want
recovery,
I
go
into
that
room
and
I
exit
somewhere
else,
I,
don't
exit
in
the
same
entrance
that
everyone
else
is
coming,
because
it's
only
going
to
they're
only
going
to
encourage
me
to
remain
because
some
of
them
are
there
to
inject
them.
So
some
of
them
do
want
help,
not
everyone,
and
this
is
a
reality.
I
So
it's
it's
that
recommended
as
well
as
recommended,
is
educated,
certified
and
community-based
pastors
because
of
the
past
experience
of
having
fake
pastors
and
wannabe
directors
and
stealing
identities
and
their
access
card
and
opening
up
accounts
and
using
their
funds
and
treating
them
bad.
They
lost
faith.
So
we
really
need
to
bring
in
pastors
that
truly
do
care
and
truly
do
love,
and
please
remember
that
if
we
don't
resolve
these
issues
of
those
that
did
still
their
identity
and
treated
them
bad,
they
in
their
mind.
I
N
I
tell
this
story
to
put
a
face
on
the
wider
story
of
the
racist
policies
and
practices
of
the
war
on
drugs,
which
included
harsher
sentences
for
crack
cocaine
and
powder
cocaine.
This
is
why,
when
opening
a
comprehensive
user
engagement
site,
we
need
to
demand
that
it
be
truly
comprehensive.
It
needs
to
be
open
to
users
of
all
drugs
and
not
just
heroin.
N
We
also
cannot
allow
powerful
institutions
with
vast
resources
to
use
the
suffering
of
people
living
under
bridges
in
squalor
in
order
to
further
their
own
exploitative
agendas
at
the
expense
of
the
best
interests
of
the
people
being
served.
People
need
housing
in
order
to
get
clean,
and
it
is
unacceptable
that
more
action
is
being
developed
around
how
to
use
homeless
people
as
Lab
Rats
for
pence
lead
is
a
data
mining
venture
than
to
get
them
into
housing.
N
There
is
literally
no
plan
from
the
city
to
house
all
of
the
homeless
people
in
Kensington,
but
if
you
check
out
Penn's
website
and
search
for
its
article
about
the
Leonard
Davis
Institute
grant,
which
will
be
used
for
researching
as
if
you'll
see
pen
is
very
busy.
Using
this
horrific
situation
to
create
networking
opportunities
and
future
grants
and
career
boosts
for
privileged
Penn
people.
N
It
would
be
easy
to
miss
the
sentence
in
which
the
1,200
deaths
philly
saw
last
year's
mentioned
in
the
article.
They
are
busy
building
a
headset
that
a
heroin
user
can
put
on
as
they
go
off
to
shoot
up
alone,
as
if
the
solution
to
the
problem
were
to
just
hand,
users
some
surveillance
technology,
without
changing
any
of
the
circumstances
that
led
to
addiction.
The
person
who
is
designing
the
headset
has
already
said
pen
doesn't
have
pockets
deep
enough
to
help
pay
for
housing.
N
I
call
BS
pen
has
a
twelve
billion
dollar
endowment
and
it
doesn't
even
pay
taxes
and
the
Soros
Foundation
Soros
Foundation
has
already
sponsored
research
on
sips,
and
that
concludes
and
I
quote.
Government
agencies
can
repurpose
their
funding
to
community
harm
reduction
activities
that
achieve
desirable
social
outcomes
through
issuing
social
impact
bonds.
In
other
words,
the
government
can
use
its
money
towards
ends
that
investors,
not
community
members,
not
substance
users
or
healthcare
professionals
deemed
to
be
desirable
social
outcomes
and
which
conveniently
make
a
profit
for
those
same
investors
through
data
harvesting.
N
They
have
no
accountability
to
the
commute
to
the
community
and
when
they
get
their
resume
bullets
from
this
and
move
back
to
the
main
line,
we
as
a
community
are
still
going
to
be
dealing
with
this
1,200
overdose.
Deaths
is
all
the
data
that
I
need
to
know
that
we
need
to
do
something
to
address
the
problem.
We
have
the
research
from
Vancouver,
we
need
a
save
consumption
site
and
we
need
housing
now.
R
Good
evening
counselor
chair,
Cindy
bass,
vice
chair
Maria,
can
you
and
Sanchez
members
of
the
Committee
on
Public,
Health
and
Human
Services
I,
never
figured
on
Vargas
a
person
would
live
the
experience
and
long-term
recovery
from
mental
health
and
substance
use
disorders,
I'm
also
a
family
member
of
someone
who
has
died
as
a
result
of
opiate
overdose.
For
the
last
four
years,
I've
had
the
honor
and
privilege
to
serve
philadelphians
experiencing
homelessness.
R
Mental
health
and
substance
use
challenges
in
my
capacity
and
my
capacity
as
a
peer-to-peer,
mobile
homeless
services,
program
manager
and
mental
health
partnerships,
formerly
known
as
the
Mental
Health
Association
southeastern
Pennsylvania.
Finally,
I'm
grateful
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia
to
my
employer,
MHP
for
providing
me
the
opportunity
flexibility
to
serve
on
the
mayor's
task
force
to
combat
the
opiate
epidemic
and
Philadelphia
convened
in
2017.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
testify
in
response
to
resolution
number
one:
eight:
zero,
zero.
R
Three
seven
I
want
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
my
brother
Louise
figure
to
our
right
guys
who
died
over
opiate
overdose.
Please
Louise
figured
our
girls
was
somebody
who
was
loved
by
his
family,
friends
and
others
wet
opportunity
to
meet
somewhere
was
such
a
big
heart
for
caring
and
giving
to
others.
Unfortunately,
my
brother
Louie
struggle
with
crack
cocaine
in
the
late
1980s
90s
and
early
2000s.
After
many
failed
attempts
at
recovery.
My
brother
landed
in
jail
where
he
picked
up
an
opiate
habit.
R
R
While
it
could
be
argued
that
my
brother
was
not
ready
to
seek
or
sustain
his
recovery
from
his
drug
addiction,
everyday
I
push
back
in
my
heart
and
head
knowing
that,
believing
that
a
comprehensive
user
engagement
site
again
better
nose
and
safe
injection
site
proposed
could
have
kept
him
alive
long
enough
until
he
was
able
and
willing
to
sustain
recovery.
Also,
I
would
like
to
add
they
treat
addiction
with
old
ideas.
R
R
It
was
not
until
I
was
arrested,
that
I
was
able
to
get
the
help
that
I
needed
had
it
not
been
for
the
intervention
in
the
prison
afterwards,
my
addiction
may
have
progressed
like
Louise
and
I
would
not,
and
I
would
have
been
dead
rather
than
testify
here
today,
with
the
power
community
supports
cbh
and
DBH
from
the
services
providing
cbh
funding.
Peer-To-Peer,
evidence-based
services
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
over
the
past
four
years
has
enriched
my
understanding
of
those
struggling
with
physical
physiological
distress,
mental
health
conditions
and
substance
use.
R
People
who
struggle
with
these
conditions
that
I
have
mentioned
have
a
name,
our
family
friends,
talents
to
share
with
the
world
when
they
provide
the
appropriate
supports
and
resources
that
I
only
recover
put
that
driver
in
recovery
and
critical
key
to
recovery
is
community-based
supports
and
peer-to-peer
programs
certified
peer
specialist
who
treated
me
people
where
they
are
in
the
recovery,
even
when
that
means
that
people
just
not
ready
to
recover
people
use
okay,
I
will.
Okay.
R
In
summary,
I
am
the
evidence
that
people
can
do
recovery
from
substance
use
challenges,
people
like
me,
and
so
many
others
that
I
have
the
honor
of
privilege
of
being
through
my
work.
Image
P
prove
that
we
use
don't
recovery
but
that
we
try
recovery.
My
story
has
succeeded
is
not
unique.
In
fact,
through
my
work
appearing
at
home,
the
specialty
program
I
have
witnessed
many
success
stories.
People
who
one
day
experience
a
chronically
homeless,
a
psychological
distress,
mental
condition,
substance,
use
counted
out
and
considers
in
nuisance
by
many
in
society.
R
Today's
advocates
does
here
are
your
mavin
business
owners
college
graduates
exceptional,
please
pair
of
siblings,
neighbors
society's
most
significant
resource
is
human
potential.
Please
do
not
allow
someone
to
see
stage
this
because
they
are
struggling
with
the
disease
of
addiction,
say
yes
to
comprehensive
user
engagement
sites.
Thank
you.
A
Really
honor
the
time,
a
lot
of
other
forms
to
talk
we
want
to
get
through
as
many
of
the
folks
on
the
list.
So
thank
you
to
our
patio,
parlor
Safranski,
matt,
theis
and
John
Cooper.
These
were
all
folks
that
were
registered.
This
is
the
end
of
the
list
of
the
folks
that
were
previously
registered.
We're
gonna
go
to
the
pre-registration
list
before
we
even
go
to
anyone
who's
registered
today.
If
folks
honor
the
time
we'll
get
through
it.
S
S
Evening,
my
name
is
Matt
theis
I'm,
the
clinical
director
with
pathways
to
housing.
A
non
profit
organization
here
in
Philly
I
was
I
was
privileged
to
be
a
member
of
the
task
force
that
we've
mentioned
before
and
pathways
to
housing.
We
exclusively
serve
individuals
who
are
experiencing
chronic
homelessness,
so
they
also
have
to
be
diagnosed
with
severe
mental
health
diagnosis
or
severe
substance
use
disorders.
Many
times
they
pass
through
other
programs
who
have
not
been
properly
equipped
to
deal
with
the
severity
of
their
need.
S
Through
our
robust
litany
of
services,
we
can
make
serious
impacts
on
a
small
group
of
individuals
with
those
needs.
Homelessness
clearly
leads
to
poor
health
when
you're
on
the
street,
you
often
don't
know
where
to
turn
for
medication.
Storey
Medicaid
is
storing
meds
maintained
and
routine.
That
allows
you
to
make
doctor's
appointments
safely,
recover
from
significant
procedures
or
many
other
needs.
It's
especially
difficult
to
make
steps
from
major
addiction,
while
also
dealing
with
the
continual
Frenzy
trauma
of
homelessness
as
well.
S
A
S
Use
the
housing
first
model,
which
means
giving
someone
an
apartment
with
no
other
pretty
preconditions,
but
then
immediately
upon
acceptance
in
the
program,
a
multidisciplinary
team
with
social
workers,
a
nurse
psychiatrist,
medical
providers
sorted
by
peer
specialists,
no
other
case
managers
spring
into
action
to
help
keep
that
person
stable
in
their
home
in
the
fall
of
2016.
Several
departments
of
office
of
homeless
services,
department
of
behavioral
health
and
cbh
recognized
the
confluence
of
chronic
homelessness
with
severe
opioid
addiction,
especially
in
Kensington.
S
As
a
result,
we
developed
a
specialized
clinical
team
designed
to
support
individuals
with
severe
opioid
use
disorder
from
the
streets
into
stable
housing
and
further
wholeness.
We
recognize
that
this
is
an
innovation
where
almost
no
one
else
and
the
continent
was
doing
what
we
wanted
to
do.
Give
those
with
severe
heroin
addiction
apartments
with
no
preconditions
for
treatment.
S
We
knew
we
had
to
do
something.
This
team
featured
75
of
some
of
the
most
vulnerable
and
long-standing
individuals
who
have
been
on
the
street
at
the
time.
Over
the
span
of
offering
this
intervention
we've
been
able
to
help
50
percent
of
our
participants
transition
from
severe
opioid
addiction
into
accessing
medically
assisted
treatment.
This
is
done
without
requiring
participants
to
enroll
in
any
treatment
and
as
a
condition
for
their
housing
unless
they
choose
to
do
so
themselves.
S
Housing
first
is
a
best
practice,
evidence-based
approach,
recognized
by
HUD
and
Samsa
on
the
clinical
team
serving
individuals
with
opioid
dependence.
We
have
100%
housing
retention
rate.
While
we
see
extremely
high
rates
of
hepatitis,
C
HIV
among
the
groups,
we
also
helping
them
get
connected
into
care
in
ways
that
we
have
never
met,
engaged
with
prior
to
housing.
Individuals
in
our
program
experienced
drastic
reductions
to
their
access
to
emergency
services
for
health
or
behavioral
health
incarceration
rates
and
inpatient
stays.
S
A
H
Hello
council,
my
name
is
John
Cooper
I'm,
director
herself
out
movement,
I'm
direct
program
director
of
120
bed,
Department
of
Corrections
wing
I,
was
on
the
mayor's
Task
Force
I
work
in
the
field
I'm
in
the
trenches
every
day
and
I
say
that
not
to
boast
but
I'm.
Also,
seventeen
half
years
away
recovering
from
a
15-year
heroin
addiction,
I,
didn't
read
this
stuff
in
the
book
and
one
of
the
most
intimidating
things
that
I
went
in
my
life.
H
When
I
went
in
front
when
I
was
appointed
to
the
mayor's
task
force,
you
know,
I
got
my
GED
in
federal
prison
I
was
born
in
Piscopo,
Hospital,
went
to
visitation
and
went
to
North
Catholic
I'm
a
neighborhood
kid.
You
know,
I
mean
the
thing
that
I
want
to
focus
on,
because
a
million
things
I
can
talk
about
in
a
million
things
that
I
can
say
about
what's
wrong,
but
I
think
the
most
important
and
access
to
treatment.
H
What
we're
missing
right
now,
what
is
being
taken
away
from
our
children
as
a
choice,
we're
no
longer
being
given
a
choice,
we're
being
remanded
to
a
certain
type
of
treatment
and
understand
this
I
am
NOT
against
anything
that
works
for
anyone,
but
I
think
that
when
choices
taken,
people
are
denied
treatment
because
they
don't
want
to
accept.
The
first
recommendation
for
treatment.
I
think
is
a
crime
within
itself,
and
those
children
are
put
back
on
the
street
and
then
represented
and
hope
that
they
can
get
access.
H
I
work
in
a
community
community
outreach
I
take-
and
this
is
not
the
boast
but
I.
Take
multiple
phone
calls.
Multiple
mothers
telling
me
whose
children
are
in
crisis
on
m80
treatment,
supplementing
with
benzodiazepine
and
their
children,
seeking
emergency
treatment
and
denied,
because
they're
on
an
existing
level
of
care
and
the
next
phone
call
I
get
from
that
mother
is
from
the
25th
district,
whose
child
was
found
in
an
overgrown
lot
in
North
Philadelphia.
We
need
choice,
I
respect
what
you
had
to
say
about.
H
You
know
we
know
what's
going
on
what
are
we
doing
towards?
Are
we
putting
our
best
efforts,
but
in
order
for
us
to
make
change,
we
need
to
look
inside
ourselves
and
the
way
that
the
access
to
treatment
is
being
run
and
utilize
and
the
denial
of
treatment
denial
of
treatment?
How
part
of
how
much
of
a
part
inning
over
opioid
overdose
death
does
that
play?
But
no,
we
don't
want
to
look
in
our
own
house.
H
H
A
N
Evening
Council
I'm
brother
Ramon,
Rosano
FM
Franciscan
friar
at
Saint
Francis
in
2,
4
4,
1,
Kensington
Avenue
there
in
our
dining
room.
We
serve
meals
365
days
a
year,
it's
a
year
in
year
out
to
many
of
our
Kensington
neighbors
with
and
without
homes,
based
on
our
collective
encounters
with
our
guests
at
Saint,
Francis
in
who
suffer
from
illness,
the
illness
of
substance,
abuse
or
addiction.
A
comprehensive
approach
is
much
needed
to
address
this
complex
epidemic.
N
At
this
point
at
the
trenches
we
cannot
deny
the
regular
incidences
of
some
of
our
guests,
who
overdose
and
shoot
their
choice
of
substance
on
our
streets
and
occasionally
even
in
our
campus,
in
and
of
our
campus.
We
face
similar
concerns
as
our
neighbours
finding
needles
on
our
pavements
and
street
corners.
We
strongly
advocate
for
prevention,
rehabilitation
and
treatment,
but
on
the
ground
we
find
that
the
reality
is
different.
Our
knees
on
the
ground
forces
us
to
also
focus
on
harm
reduction.
N
Prevention
and
treatment
obviously
are
not
enough,
since
this
epidemic
has
not
ceased
in
the
lives
of
the
many
people
we
serve
just
the
other
week,
John
Stevenson
John
Stevenson's
body
was
found
at
some
location
on
tulip.
We
know
him
personally,
he
comes
to
us
for
his
meals,
research
after
research,
apart
from
our
ground,
experience
already
revealed
that
treatment
hinges
upon
the
readiness
of
an
individual
suffering
from
substance
use
over
time.
N
We
are
aware
that
the
issue
of
queues
is
controversial,
but
we
invite
our
neighbors
and
leaders
to
treat
the
presence
of
queues
as
the
first
step
to
empower
individuals
who
suffer
from
the
opioid
epidemic
and
to
offer
them
the
choice
to
be
safe
even
for
another
day
to
make
another
choice.
That's
beneficial
for
them.
Hughes,
as
we
know,
will
also
include
services
that
provide
access
beyond
substance
use
and
they
ought
to
be
treated
as
opportunities
to
lasting
solutions.
N
Please
let
us
continue
with
the
conversation,
but
let
us
not
terminate
the
conversation
based
on
our
limited
concerns
and
fears
that
the
epidemic
will
just
infiltrate
our
neighborhoods.
It
is
already
a
crisis
in
Kensington
and
will
only
proliferate
proliferate
further.
If
we
do
not
address
it
immediately,
we've
been
serving
meals
every
day
non-stop
in
Kensington
for
more
than
30
years
now,
because
we
value
the
dignity
of
every
human
being
who
comes
to
our
doors,
and
so
on
behalf
of
many
of
our
guests
suffering
from
this
epidemic.
N
N
All
the
research
in
our
fields
purports
that
people
need
longer
lengths
of
stay
in
care
to
be
able
to
get
clean
and
get
sober,
but
for
a
person
who's
facing
opioid
addiction,
more
often
than
not,
people
are
only
recommended
outpatient
treatment
or
medical
assisted
treatment
when
what
they're
really
in
need
of
is
long-term
care
and
inpatient.
We
don't
have
enough
of
those
beds
to
go
around.
Thank
you
for
addressing
that
in
the
beginning
of
this
meeting.
However,.
N
We
continued
to
talk
and
now
we're
here
today
only
because
people
are
talking
about
implementing
something
that
may
save
lives
and,
yes,
I
understand
to
the
people
of
the
community
of
Kensington,
I
I
do
understand
how
you
would
be
apprehensive
about
this,
but
I
do
just
want
to
say
that
all
the
research
surrounding
the
100-plus,
safe
injection
facilities
across
the
country
supports
that
they
reduce
crime.
They
lower
the
amounts
of
needles
that
are
seen
in
open
areas
and
they
reduce
communicable
diseases
in
and
around
the
greater
area
that
they're
implemented.
N
Actually,
a
police
officer
from
Canada
told
me
that
he
was
made
fun
of
by
the
people
that
he
worked
with
when
he
arrested
drug
users.
Why
are
we
not
implementing
the
same
policy
and
policing
across
their
areas
and
where
has
the
police
and
the
DA
been
in
these
meetings
across
the
state?
Why
are
they
not
being
part
of
it?
So
thank
you
for
your
time.
N
Cortez,
his
name
is:
pastor
Billy,
Cortez,
cuatro,
no
trabajando
local
area
from
Mesa
mercy
on
this
form.
Before
years,
they've
been
working
on
intersection
of
front
and
Somerset
yourself,
muy
rapido,
muy,
breve,
I'm
gonna
be
very
brief.
Okay
time
on
da
bagon
doing
and
Mo
problema,
you
know
certain
country,
no
resolution
be
ugly,
we're
navigating
the
same
problem,
but
no
resolution
has
come
on
cetera,
but
I
know
they
in
pain.
Tell
mama
soluciones
like
well
yeah
solution,
está
en
la
mesa,
we're
trying
an
advocate
of
saying
that
solutions,
but
it's
on
the
table.
N
Cuando
coming
summer
travel
holiday
from
summer
saying
we
started
working
in
the
intersection
front
in
Somerset,
Tom
O'connell,
Moroccan
you're,
a
very
first
person
that
we
contact
Wisconsin
woman,
Maria
quinones,
Nam,
Calipari,
Mohan,
centavo,
para
por,
el
Libre
la
comunidad,
a
la
droga.
We
never
asked
one
cent
from
Earth
to
try
to
elevate
the
problem,
ot
Lisa
mole
or
also
be
allocated
on
funcionan
doe.
L
N
In
solid
a
problem,
Macedo
CBS
that
say
the
problem
that
has
a
CBA
okay,
see
me:
I
came
on
telefilm
a
Celtic
immortal
la
clínica
de
salud,
mental
Pirozhki,
tapa
Rondo,
polymeric
amento
scenario.
That's
the
person
that
it's
the
causing
this
problem
is
down.
Osama
and
Oprah
merely
come
into
a
new
trance
ano
ano
trance
on
you,
they've
been
paying
this
on
year
after
year,
but
you
know
separate
entity.
Ramiro
I
would
look
at
DNA
Gabrielle
I'm
I'm
wondering
why
people
are
afraid
to
talk
this.
N
C
N
Pimento
in
guro,
less
obloquy
don't
want
no
more
Hammond
available
free
resume
in
prison.
The
siendo,
the
children,
osama
siento
pressure
Mikasa.
You
know
that
chop
say
is
seven
years
old,
I
feel
like
I'm,
a
prisoner
mommy
home.
Yet,
oh,
we
have
children,
yell,
oshiete,
yo,
se
siente
impression
after
comunidade
their
seven-year-old
and
they
feel
prison.
N
A
A
F
F
F
F
We
would
be
flipping
out
and
I
can
only
assume
that
part
of
the
reason
the
response
has
been
somewhat
nonchalant
and,
and
there
isn't
as
much
education
is
because
of
stigma
and
I
want
to
say
that
I,
don't
I,
don't
accept
stigma
about
my
daughter
or
related
to
her
death.
She
was
more
than
an
addict
I.
F
Want
to
say
that
in
2012
and
2013
my
daughter
was
treated
in
six
residential
facilities,
three
IOPS
and
one
PHP,
and
in
not
one
of
those
places
was
she
ever
given:
medication,
assisted
treatment
or
offered
medication,
assisted
treatment
and
in
every
parent
conference
and
family
therapy
session
that
I
was
in
it
was
never
discussed.
I
didn't
even
know
what
it
was
now
we
look
back
and
we
know
that
that
was
the
gold
standard.
F
Now
she
died
in
a
treatment
facility.
Six
months,
abstinent
I,
don't
know
that
that
o
you
d,
never
would
have
killed
her,
but
she
would
not
have
died
that
day.
If
she
had
been
on
medication,
assisted
treatment,
I
don't
want
us
to
look
back
five
years,
hence
and
say:
oh
man,
we
lost
a
lot
of
lives
because
we
didn't
look
at
the
research
globally
about
the
cues.
I
have
a
lot
of
sympathy
for
the
problems
in
the
community
I'm
a
lifelong
resident
of
Germantown
I
live
at
Manheim
in
Pulaski.
F
A
F
The
other
most
important
point
I
want
to
make
is
about
co-occurring
disorders.
We
are
doing
a
really
bad
job
of
treating
people
with
mental
illnesses,
who
also
have
addiction
very
bad
job.
That
needs
to
be
a
focus.
I
understand
that
all
of
this
costs
a
lot
of
money,
but
we
need
to
find
the
resources
to
do
this.
The
right
way.
Thank
you.
O
Good
evening,
everyone
hello,
my
name-
is
Gloria
Cartagena
and
I'm
here
representing
summer
state
neighbors
for
better
living
or
SMP
or
for
short
SN
Bialik
States,
to
make
our
neighborhoods
a
safe
place
to
live
work
and
play.
We
support
strong
families
and
a
strong
community.
This
drug
crisis
is,
it
is
hit.
Excuse
me,
it's
hitting
us
hard.
Most
people
in
our
community
have
lost
a
friend,
family,
member
or
neighbor
to
this
disease.
Many
of
people
are
still
actively
addicted
and
many
of
them
are
among
the
homeless.
Some
are
among
the
dead.
O
Our
families
understand
the
pain
of
living
with
someone
who
is
addicted
and
support
your
efforts
to
prevent
and
cure
this
disease.
However,
as
a
community
group,
we
also
comprehend
the
crisis
that
is
creating
in
our
neighborhood.
This
is
a
shadow
crisis
in
our
community
of
crime,
pollution
and
chronic
stress.
The
mayor's
task
force
plan
includes
18
action
items
for
those
suffering
from
addiction,
but
it
includes
zero
items
that
are
directly
addressed:
families,
community
and
our.
We
are
suffering.
O
We
are
talking
about
saving
lives,
but
not
just
the
lives
of
those
in
active
edition
because
we
live
this
community.
We
have
to
look
around
and
ask
ourselves
how
many
children
will
suffer
chronic
health
problems,
because
there
are
no
needle-free
parks
to
play
in
how
many
of
our
community's
children
will
have
their
own
life
swallowed
up
by
addiction
and
drug
dealing
that
surround
us.
How
many
businesses
will
take
their
jobs
elsewhere,
leaving
abandoned
stores
and
unemployment?
O
O
How
can
we
help
you
understand?
What
we
live
here
is
living
like
city
representatives,
come
to
our
meetings
and
say
there
is
homelessness
everywhere.
There's
addiction
everywhere.
Our
residents
know
that
it
is
different
here.
There
are
so
many
dangers
and
issues
we
face
and
we
deal
with
them
every
single
day
in
your
copy
of
rent
testimony.
You
also
find
a
copy
of
this
or
SMB
or
neighborhood
bingo
card.
It
includes
things
like
picking
up
human
feces,
administrating,
narcan,
picking
up
needles
and
being
offered
drugs.
O
This
is
a
game
that
my
neighbors
in
nine
are
losing
every
single
day.
You
know
that
we
have
toxic
trash
all
over
our
sidewalks.
You
know
that
none
of
our
parts
are
safe
and
you
know
that
that
is
destroying
the
health
of
our
community
in
our
children,
but
you
are
not
taking
serious
action.
This
needs
to
end.
O
We
don't
know
how
to
fix
this
issue
we
need,
we
need,
is
all
of
you
and
everyone
who
works
for
you
to
say
to
our
neighbors
I
will
not
rest
until
you
can
use
your
sidewalks
poorest
transit
stops
again.
Our
city
will
not
rest
until
you
feel
safe,
walking
to
school
work,
community
meetings,
and
we
will
work
on
behalf
to
provide
access
to
basic
city
services
every
single
day.
I
will
listen
to
the
concerns
of
your
community
and
make
them
my
concerns.
Thank
you.
A
D
My
name
is
Dan
Martino
representing
the
old
Richmond
Civic
Association,
just
going
to
speak
candidly
about
what
we
deal
with
on
a
regular
basis.
I
feel
like
there's
a
tremendous
weight
in
in
the
city
right
now,
and
then
it's
it's
it's
almost
it's
palpable
there's
so
many
people
that
I
talk
to
every
day
that
that
are
just
afraid
that
don't
recognize
their
own
City
anymore,
they're,
afraid
to
walk
outside
our
house,
they're
afraid
to
let
their
children
go
to
the
park
as
we're
talking
about
here
and
that's
unacceptable.
D
Just
as
just
as
Cal
you
know,
I
would
be
flipping
out
we're
flipping
out
or
100%
flipping
out.
So
let
me
talk
about
a
little
bit
of
the
anger
that
that
that
I
see
on
a
regular
basis
as
well.
You
know
I
I
know
some
of
you
guys
know
that
I'd
manage
a
town
watch
part
of
the
reason
why
I
started
that
was
because
I
could
see
this
resentment.
D
This
bubbling
up
anger
that
was
happening
both
in
my
neighborhood
and
in
the
city
and
I
wanted
to
find
a
way
to
be
able
to
manage
that
with
compassion
and
understanding
and
and
reason,
rather
than
just
be
a
force,
for
you
know
a
bully.
You
know
and
in
my
in
my
work
and
doing
that
I've
met
a
lot
of
people
that
are
on
both
sides
of
this
issue.
I've
talked
to
people
that
are
living
under
bridges.
I've
talked
to
people
that
don't
want
to
see
them
anymore.
D
I've
walked
out
front
of
my
house
to
find
syringes.
There's
suboxone
wrappers,
there's
syringe
wrappers
blowing
around
our
neighborhoods
every
single
day
and
I.
Don't
know
what
to
tell
people
anymore
when
they
ask
me
what's
going
on?
What's
the
city
doing
what's
happening
with
you
know
like
years
ago,
Emerald
City,
Emerald
City
was
a
problem.
Now
it's
Kensington
and
Frankfurt
and
tulip
and
what's
next,
when
does
it
end?
You
know,
I,
don't
have
answers
anymore
and
I.
D
Don't
blame
them
when
they're
angry
I,
don't
blame
them
when
they're
afraid,
because
I'm,
angry
and
I'm
afraid
I'm
afraid
for
my
city,
because
at
this
point
now
there
are
people
and
Maria
I
agree
with
you
on
a
lot
of
points
here.
There
are
a
lot
of
people
that
come
from
all
over
the
world
to
die
in
your
district
and
that's
not
fair,
but
objective.
Reality
exists.
We
a
a
question
was
asked
last
week,
like
where's
the
DEA
in
all
this,
and
the
answer
was
essentially
like.
D
We
can't
stop
the
drugs
from
coming
into
the
city
it's
being
produced
here.
Fentanyl
is
you
can
make
that
in
somebody's
basement?
So
we
have
to.
We
have
to
address
this
issue,
not
as
we
want
it
to
be,
but
as
it
actually
is,
and
so
I
you
know,
we've
breast
breathlessly
talked
about
all
the
problems.
We've
breathlessly
talked
about
many
of
the
solutions
here,
just
as
there
are
a
million
roads
into
addiction,
there
are
a
million
roads
out
and
it's
important
that
we
explore
every
single
one
of
them
until
find
things
that
work.
Thank
you.
N
My
name
is
Shanna
thau
and
I
represent
the
Harrogate
community,
so
simile
I'm
here
for
the
residents
that
live
and
work
and
are
raising
our
children
Harrogate
in
the
surrounding
communities.
We
are
valuable
and
our
neighborhoods
not
treated
like
that.
We
are
good
people
and
we
have
been
suffering
for
a
very
long
time
with
this,
but
it
goes
well
beyond
what
has
recently
come
about
the
opiate
addiction.
This
all
started
popping
up
in
the
90s
and
I
know
this,
because
I've
lived
in
a
neighborhood
for
40
years.
N
So
when
you
start
when
the
city
is
allowed
recovery,
programs
they're
not
actually
recovery
programs,
they
are
just
fronts
for
her.
You
know
making
money
and
stealing
money
from
the
state
she's
really
a
neighborhood.
This
is
like
lend
up
when
you
attract
drug
dealers.
I'm,
sorry
closer.
You
attracted
drug
dealers
because
we
have
a
vicious
cycle
of
dealing
recovery
programs
that
don't
work,
and
we
have
prevention
point
who
use
work
with
great
who
I
think
are
fantastic,
but
at
the
city
contract
that
says,
if
you
bring
in
one
needle
you
get
one
plus
ten.
N
That's
why
our
neighborhood
is
riddled
with
needles,
not
one
for
one
and
then
they
go
out
and
they
also
sell
them
so
you're
enabling
them
they
sell
them
to
get
their
money
for
heroin,
and
this
is
a
vicious
cycle
and
there's
no
plan
to
stop
this
and
it's
Kensington.
So
nobody
cares
because
they
deserve
it
because
they're
poor,
because
they
are
diverse
and
nobody
cares.
It's
not
a
race
thing.
It's
an
economic,
we're,
not
rich.
We
don't
have
a
lot
of
money.
N
Sorry,
but
he
dumps
here
and
they
come
here
to
make
their
money
and
that's
what
we
need
to
change,
and
this
needs
to
be
part
of
the
plan.
Just
not
what
we're
gonna
do
for
200
homeless
people
sleeping
under
bridges,
I'm,
a
drug
addiction
but
the
residents
and
what
you
do,
how
it's
gonna
affect
us
and
not
just
them.
You
know
their
families
get
to
do.
Tough
love
can't
live
with
us
because
you
rob
us,
and
you
know
we
don't
want
that
in
our
problem.
Our
neighbors
don't
want
that.
N
So
we
deal
with
it
and
we
are
vilified
for
it
because
they
robbed
us
they
litter
and
defecate.
On
our
properties,
they
move
into
abandoned
houses
in
our
neighborhood.
It's
not
just
under
the
bridge.
This
is
much
bigger
than
that,
and
these
are
all
things
that
need
to
be
addressed
and
it
needs
to
be
for
the
people
that
live
there
and
work
there.
N
Who
will
stay
there
because
they
won't
if
they
get
recovered,
they're
gonna
go
back
to
Levittown
or
the
Northeast,
that's
where
they're
gonna
go,
and
then
your
poor
people
are
gonna,
bring
them
here.
So
when
you
set
something
up
and
it's
permanent,
you
now
are
gonna
make
us
deal
with
this
forever.
This
has
that.
A
A
Q
Q
The
opioid
epidemic
has
affected
this
neighborhood
for
years,
long
before
gurney
Street
long
before
these
encampments,
but
most
of
the
people
who
live
here
are
in
no
way
involved
in
the
selling
or
consuming
of
heroin
and
I
feel
like
that's
something
that
gets
lost
and
I'm
encouraged
by
the
amount
of
talk
that
is
happening
there
since
the
start
of
2018
just
this
year.
I
want
to
share
some
stories
of
things
that
my
neighbors
and
I
have
seen.
Q
Q
Q
Q
It's
the
trauma
of
living
here
and,
unfortunately,
these
effects
of
the
opioid
crisis
on
our
neighborhood
are
normalized
and
seen
as
just
a
cost
of
living
here,
and
they
have
been
for
decades.
As
it's
been
talked
about,
the
children
in
our
neighborhood
don't
have
a
choice
on
whether
or
not
they
live
here.
Q
Q
I
Motion
I
started
angels
of
motion
over
five
years
ago.
Actually,
it's
three
years
officially
looking
for
my
son,
my
son
was
on
the
streets
of
Kensington,
homeless
and
addicted,
and
I
would
come
down
here.
Looking
for
him
and
through
looking
for
him,
I
found
a
lot
of
lost
lonely
souls
and
I
just
couldn't
walk
by
and
ignore
these
people.
There
are
somebody's
child,
somebody's
mother,
sister
brother
and
for
me
to
go
home
and
not
help
anybody
just
keep
coming
back
and
looking
for
my
own
son,
it
wasn't
enough.
I
I
had
to
bring
more
to
it
than
that
through
that
I
found
a
lot
of
people
that
I
fell
in
love
with
they're
good
people,
they're
caring
people,
loving
people.
These
people
are
on
the
streets,
they're
homeless,
there's
also
people
that
aren't
home,
listen
on
the
streets,
they're
addicted.
This
is
everywhere,
and
we
all
know
that
we're
losing
144,
beautiful,
talented,
caring
individuals
every
day.
The
majority
of
these
individuals
are
not
happy,
they're
ashamed
and
that's
what
people
are
not
realizing.
This
isn't
fun
for
them.
I
Okay,
they're,
guilt-ridden,
they're
lost
they're
lonely
and
they
don't
know
how
to
stop.
So
many
have
tried
shaming
them,
it
doesn't
work
and
it
really
doesn't
because
I've
clients
out
on
the
street.
They
can't
look
me
in
the
eyes
when
they
relapse.
They
are
desperate,
but
they
can't
look
at
me
because
they're
so
ashamed
I
actually
grabbed
their
face
and
look
make
them.
Look
me
in
the
eyes
and
I
tell
them
look.
I
still,
love
you
it's
okay!
This
is
a
disease
you're,
not
perfect.
Let's
try
again
and
that's
what
they
need.
I
They
need
that
support
and
that
guidance,
and
they
need
to
be
able
to
try
again.
They
need
that
they
need
that
so
bad,
there's
so
much
that
people
are
leaving
out
of
this.
Okay.
Empathy
is
a
huge
part:
I
walk
into
treatment,
centers
daily
I,
walk
into
detoxes
I,
walk
into
recovery
homes
and
I,
see
how
these
people
might
people
they're,
like
my
kids,
honestly,
are
being
treated.
There's
no
empathy,
there's
no
respect.
Believe
me.
If
you
eat
them
with
respect
in
empathy,
they
give
it
right
back.
I
I
Okay,
seen
the
one
minute
all
right,
all
right,
so
I'm
gonna
go
on
and
tell
a
story
about
why
I
feel
queues
is
so
important.
I
one
client,
okay,
young
gentleman,
wonderful
person,
he
knew
my
heart
and
soul
was
my
son,
who
was
in
Florida
in
recovery.
You
know,
I
didn't
see
him,
he
knew
when
my
son
sees
me.
He
picks
me
up
and
he
bear
hugs
me
and
every
time
he
sees
me.
Does
this
any
spins
me
and
this
client
did
this
every
single
time.
I
He
see
me
to
give
me
a
little
piece
of
my
son,
even
though
he
wasn't
here.
This
gentleman
called
me
on
Saturday
and
he
said
to
me:
can
you
this
was
Saturday
last
year?
He
do
me
a
favor
and
come
talk
to
me.
I
need
some
guidance,
so
I
did
and
we
talked
back
and
forth
and
he
felt
he
was
having
really
strong
urges.
We
talked
about
him
contacting
a
sponsor.
We
talked
about
him
going
to
meetings.
We
talked
about
him
telling
everybody
in
the
house.
I
gave
him.
No
idea
told
him.
I
Please
make
sure
everybody
in
that
house
knows
you
have
that
narcan.
He
loved
him,
he
said
I,
don't
want
to
die,
I
have
four
kids
and
I
love
them
and
I
love,
my
wife,
I,
don't
want
to
die
and
I
said
I
get
that
please
just
keep
reaching
out.
Don't
do
this
alone.
If
you
have
to
use
you
somewhere
with
someone
the
next
day
he
used
in
that
house
and
he
used
alone
and
he
died.
His
four
kids
now
do
not
have
a
father.
I
B
Hello,
thank
you
so
much
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
today.
My
name
is
Katie
Rivera
and
I've
been
living
in
the
Kensington
area
since
2005
I'm,
the
owner
of
flip-out
productions,
gymnastics
Academy
located
at
2757,
Frankfort
Avenue.
Our
mission
is
to
provide
the
highest
quality
of
gymnastics
to
children
of
all
ages.
We
support
the
growth
of
all
athletes,
no
matter
their
gender
race
income
level
or
athletic
ability.
I
started
this
business
in
2012
by
myself,
with
a
few
mats
that
I
bought
with
money
I
saved
at
a
part-time
job.
Bartending.
B
Our
first
location
was
just
the
recreation
center,
also
known
as
newts
on
Blair
Street
I
began
this
project
with
15
students
by
2016.
Our
partnership
ended
with
Sisler
and
I
was
on
a
mission
to
build
the
best
gymnastics
facility
in
Philadelphia.
At
this
time
we
were
a
community
of
75
families
a
week
after
a
temporary
space,
a
lot
of
hard
work
and
8
months
of
planning
the
development
of
the
properties
north
of
Lehigh.
We
moved
our
than
120
families
in
June
of
2017
and
opened
on
Frankfort
Avenue.
B
We
now
service
over
260
families
a
week
for
recreational
gymnastics
classes,
partner
with
schools
for
after-school
programming,
offer
fun
and
power
for
workouts,
for
women
have
a
mentorship
program.
Scholarship
athletes
holds
a
partnership
with
the
temple
gymnastics
club
and
have
a
staff
of
10
employees.
This
is
only
the
beginning
of
what
we
have
planned
for
this
area.
Construction
is
about
to
begin
in
our
brand
new
facility
directly
across
the
street.
From
our
current
location,
this
facility
will
be
able
to
service
approximately
1,000
families
in
the
fish
town
port
Richmond
in
Kensington
areas.
B
We
are
also
less
than
a
football
field,
away
from
the
encampments
under
Frankfort
Avenue
under
the
Frankfort
Avenue
Bridge,
less
than
a
hundred
feet
from
encampments
on
silver
Street
and
the
open-air
drug
trade
and
drug
use
that
takes
place
every
day.
This
activity
can
be
seen
outside
of
every
window
of
the
facility
since
we
moved
in
I
have
physically
dragged
uncut,
just
human
beings
out
of
the
street
for
fear
that
they
would
be
hit
by
a
car.
B
Lee
move
on
I
appreciate
the
increased
police
presence,
although
I
have
offered
the
24th
district
to
come
to
be
a
part
of
the
facility
meet
the
kids
use.
The
bathrooms
get
a
coffee
with
no
response.
I
have
sent
multiple
emails
and
still
no
response,
I
feel
alone
on
an
island
of
despair
and
hope.
At
the
same
time,
I
look
at
the
secure
I
took
the
security
of
my
facility
into
my
own
hands
and
have
a
full-time
security
security
guard
with
us
for
all
of
our
open
hours.
B
P
Evening
at
this
point
my
name
is
Rosalyn.
Lopes
I
am
here
to
say
that
I
am
in
opposition
of
the
comprehensive
user
engagement
sites,
known
as
the
safe
injection
sites.
I
was
raised
here
in
Kensington
and
I
have
witnessed
individuals
drive
up
in
their
car
in
front
of
my
house
when
I
used
to
live
on
a
and
Somerset
to
inject
themselves.
P
P
P
Now
it's
an
epidemic
and,
let's
not
forget
about
the
gentrification,
that's
going
on
right
now
on
last
week,
on
March
27th
at
the
permanent
public
health
held
a
meeting
at
congresses,
pan-american
charter
school
and
two
things
stuck
out
there,
that
these
cues
will
not
have
an
impact
on
crime
and
it
will
not
have
an
impact
on
the
drug
sales.
So
if
this,
if
it's
not
gonna,
have
a
positive
impact
in
our
community
or
any
other
community,
there's
no
need
for
it.
P
P
Many
addicts,
many
addicts
become
angry
or
violent
when,
when
their
high
is
interrupted
with
a
narcan
I
feel
that
they
don't
appreciate
or
the
help
or
that
they
value
their
lives.
I
have
two
brothers
who
have
who
have
been
addict
since
their
teens
and
they
have
the
ability
to
be
clean
for
months
even
years,
but
that
is
a
choice
that
they
make.
P
You
may
classify
it
as
disease,
I
call
it
a
choice.
They
have
a
choice
to
get
help.
If
they
really
wanted
it,
they
have
a
choice
to
want
to
live.
They
have
a
choice
to
not
want
to
die
or
not
to
use.
You
know
who
doesn't
have
a
choice:
our
children,
they
don't
have
a
choice
and
the
kind
of
education
that
they
get.
They
don't
have
a
choice
in
the
schools
that
their
schools
closed.
They
don't
have
a
choice
that
this
city
doesn't
care
that
care
for
their
safety
or
well-being.
P
The
city
seems
to
want
to
help
these
individuals
who
have
addiction
rather
than
to
invest
in
the
children
who
don't
have
a
choice
of
their
valued
part
of
their
value
quality
of
life.
Some
of
the
suggestions
I
see
the
end
time
some
of
the
suggestions
that
I
have
instead
of
reinventing
the
wheel
with
accused.
Why
not
work
with
the
recovery
homes
that
are
already
here
and
the
methadone
clinics
use
them
instead
of
spending
more
money
on
what's
going
on?
Have
these
individuals
who
are
addicts
declare
are
medically
incompetent?
A
A
I
will
ask
the
chairwoman
to
recess
to
the
call
of
the
chair
so
that
if
we
decide
that
we
want
to
come
back
and
finish
some
of
the
conversation
we
can,
but
we
are
very
grateful
to
visitation
and
to
the
sister
and
father
for
allowing
us
to
come
into
their
facility,
but
we
do
not
sister
Betty.
We
do
not
want
to
out
walk
them
ourselves
or
welcome
out
or
what
is
it.
I
I
A
A
No
one
forgets
Jose,
so
it's
Jose
Julio
Carlos
:.
We
have
a
dr.
Joseph
or
a
CEO
who's
been
very
patient
from
Temple
I.
Don't
know
if
they're
still
here
again,
I
wanted
to
put
some
of
the
residents
before
some
of
the
other
folks
Christian
cook,
Kahoot
fur
Kristin,
Debra,
young
Aileen,
Blair,
Jane,
Britax
and
Linda
Mottola.
A
A
J
J
They
were
met
with
arguments
of
immorality,
you're
going
to
encourage
young
people
to
have
sex,
and
what
happened
was
people
were
already
having
sex
make
a
long
story
short.
The
city
of
Philadelphia
distributes
thousands
and
thousands
of
condoms,
so
we
know
that
this
works
in
1991,
more
than
50%
of
all
HIV
infections
were
coming
from
syringe
juice
people
sharing
syringes.
J
J
Unless
you
Philadelphia,
I'm,
told
recorded
1200
overdose
deaths
in
Philadelphia,
these
numbers
outweigh
HIV
infections.
They
outweigh
AIDS
deaths,
I
think
it
even
may
be
more
than
homicide
rates.
At
this
point
we
know
that
providing
a
I'm,
sorry,
a
medically
supervised
clinic,
would
save
lives
and
it's
about
saving
lives.
I'm
thinking
of
$1,200
I'm
thinking
of
1,200,
hoagie,
sandwiches,
I'm
thinking
of
1200
dead
people.
J
But
a
medically
supervised
clinic,
not
only
in
Kensington
they're
needed
throughout
the
city.
I've
saw
syringes
in
West,
Philadelphia
I've
seen
syringes
in
North
Philadelphia.
So
this
is
not
just
a
problem.
Another
argument
is
against
racist
policies
against
people
of
color
and
drugs,
especially
in
the
policing
and
the
sentencing.
It's
a
problem
that
exists
to
this
very
evening,
while
I'm
speaking,
but
to
make
a
long
story
short
african-american
numbers
and
overdoses
have
almost
reached
those
of
their
white
counterparts
so
but
holding
compassion
for
people
for
1,200
dead
people
is
it's
wrong.
J
We
can
save
the
lives
and
these
are
human
beings.
These
are
our
brothers.
These
are
our
sisters.
These
are
our
mothers.
These
is
our
fathers.
These
are
young
people,
all
people,
black
folks,
white
folks,
Latinas
1200
of
them
are
dead.
History
will
judge
us,
humanity
will
judge
us
and
God
will
judge
us.
This
is
Matthew
25,
verse,
40
and
the
Lord
will
reply
truly
I
tell
you
whatever
you
did
for
one
of
these,
the
least
of
these.
My
brothers,
you
did.
It
also
unto
me.
A
A
E
E
This
is
clearly
the
worst
epidemic
of
our
lifetime,
while
the
destruction
of
AIDS
epidemic
peaked
in
1995
we've
seen,
the
opioid
epidemic
surpassed
the
devastation
of
this
disease
nationally
by
more
than
20,000
people
per
year.
Nationally,
locally
we've
been
one
of
the
hardest
hit
cities
in
the
nation,
with
an
estimated
1,200
people
dying
of
overdose.
Last
year
we
saw
a
30%
increase
from
2016
the
numbers
shocking,
considering
that
four
times
as
many
people
die
from
overdose
as
died
from
homicide
in
Philadelphia
at
tempo.
E
E
Statistically,
we
are
the
major
care
provider
for
five
of
the
top
zip
codes
in
Philadelphia
were
interlocked
zone
was
administered
the
most
in
2016.
What
we
see
at
Temple,
University,
Episcopal
campus
emergency
department,
is
staggering
and
disheartening.
Clearly
it's
the
city's
hardest
hit
emergency
department
and
respects
to
the
opioid
epidemic
at
any
one
time
more
than
half
of
the
patients
may
be
there
due
to
drug
overdose
or
a
complication
from
opioid
abuse.
E
It's
often
overwhelming,
when
I'm
working
there
and
I'm
discouraged
to
think
we
have
yet
to
get
this
problem
under
control.
As
an
emergency
physician
toxicologist
at
addiction,
medicine
specialists
I've
been
working
tirelessly
to
engage
the
patients
coming
through
our
doors
to
enter
recovery
with
help
of
medication,
assisted
therapies,
but
we've
only
scratched
the
surface,
our
cities
in
crisis,
and
if
we
don't
do
something
drastic
we're
facing
at
least
1,500
people
dying
from
drug
overdose
in
2018
in
recent
weeks,
the
concept
of
comprehensive
user
engagement
sites
has
come
under
much
scrutiny.
E
Regardless
of
your
view
of
this
approach,
we
all
must
recognize.
We
need
to
find
a
way
to
engage
people
who
are
afflicted
by
this
addiction.
Take
down
the
barriers
for
people
seeking
recovery,
because
there
are
many
barriers
and
increase
the
capacity
for
treatment
for
those
asking
for
help.
This
requires
continued
dialogue
and
a
common
commitment
to
finding
solutions
among
providers
government,
as
well
as
the
individuals,
families
and
communities
affected
by
opioids,
opioid
use
disorder.
You
know
the
science
shows
that
these
safe
injection
sites
are
comprehensive.
E
E
We
should
really
look
at
the
evidence
base
evidence-based
medicine.
That's
going
to
help
these
people.
We
need
to
come
together
as
a
community
to
figure
out
how
this
can
work
and
best
serve
the
people
who
are
afflicted
by
this
disease.
I
appreciate
your
leadership
and
on
this
critical
public
health
matter
and
for
inviting
me
to
testify
thanks.
F
Name
is
Eileen
Blair
and
I'm
here
as
a
resident
I'm,
not
making
judgment
on
users
or
dealers,
or
any
of
that
I'm
approaching
it
from
a
different
perspective,
as
in
conrail
I
live
at
tulip
and
Lehigh.
So
as
soon
as
I
open
the
door
look
out,
the
window
I
see
them,
they
see
me
and
I
won't
get
into.
Everyone
has
described
how
awful
it
is,
but
I
have
photos
here
from
2005.
F
All
we
wanted
was
offense
offense,
just
because
it
was
like
a
road
there
that
every
criminal
and
drug
addict
and
everybody
else
just
walked
in
and
out
of
their
fries
could
be
police.
Never
came
because
right
where
I
lived,
that
want.
My
side
of
the
street
is
the
26th.
The
opposites,
the
opposite
side
is
the
24th.
So
that
means
it's
the
end
of
the
line
for
both
districts
and
no
one
comes,
and
if
we
do
get
someone
to
come,
they
say
it's
a
private
property.
F
We
can't
go
up
there
in
the
summertime
when
all
the
creeps
are
run
up
there.
The
cops
are
all
around
and
helicopters
on
top.
Why
can't
they
go
in
there?
That
makes
no
sense
and
I
would
like
you
to
take
a
look
at
these
photos
when
I'm.
Thank
you
just
so.
You
can
see
how
long
this
has
been,
and
the
only
reason
that
the
tunnels
are
loaded
with
people
now
is
because
they
got
pushed
out
by
Conrail.
F
They
had
been
living
on
the
railroad
for
lo
these
many
years
and
now
conrail
has
an
opportunity
to
make
even
more
money,
and
so
they
have
pushed
all
these
people
out
and
that's
why
they're
beneath
the
tunnels
now-
and
it
wasn't
such
an
epic
issue,
because
nobody
could
see
them
but
I
promise
you.
If
you
had
a
walk
York
under
that
tunnel
to
go
to
school,
you
would
make
sure
something
got
done.
This
is
just
unacceptable
that
we,
as
residents
of
this
city
or
any
city
for
that
matter,
that
it
should
be
okay.
F
I
Hi
good
evening,
I'm
reading
on
behalf
of
Jane
grekes,
who
couldn't
be
here,
my
daughter
died
on
March
15
2018.
Her
name
was
Jessica
nae.
She
was
36
years
old.
If
I
don't
speak
out
to
make
a
difference
in
her
epidemic
that
has
taken
over
the
country
today,
I'm
doing
a
disservice
to
my
daughter
and
the
way
she
struggled
desperately
to
leave
behind
her
life
and
death
revolved
around
using.
We
spoke
about
the
light
she
wanted
and
it
was
not
the
life
she
led.
I
She
desperately
wanted
to
be
a
significant
part
of
her
daughter's
life,
but
her
addiction
was
stronger.
I
was
told
on
March
15th.
She
begged
the
staff
at
Valley
Forge
to
let
her
stay,
but
she
was
told
funding
was
up
and
she
had
to
leave
what
did
the
service
to
any
human
being
asking
for
help
at
about
12:20
6
p.m.
on
March
15th?
She
was
given
a
citation
for
attempting
to
inject
an
unknown
substance
in
public
that,
in
my
opinion,
was
a
scream
for
help.
I
Instead
of
helping
her,
the
police
officer
gave
her
a
citation
for
$50
move
along.
Is
that
what
you
wanted?
My
daughter
to
do
she
was
doing
illegal
drugs
in
public
and
was
told
to
move
along.
She
did
move
along
and
she
suggested
she
went
home
and
injected
the
unknown
substance
alone
out
of
police
view
out
of
anyone's
view
and
there
and
there
she
died
alone.
My
daughter
is
dead.
My
daughter
is
dead
yet
to
the
treatment
center.
It
wasn't
about
treating
the
disease,
it
was
about
getting
paid
to
the
police
officer.
I
Would
it
have
been
so
difficult
to
show
a
little
compassion?
This
was
my
child.
Do
you
have
children?
Could
you
imagine
your
child
being
treated
in
such
a
way?
Addict
or
not?
No
human
being
should
be
treated
the
way
she
was
on
her
last
day
on
earth
about
4:45
p.m.
on
March
15th.
She
was
pronounced
dead.
My
daughter
is
beautiful,
intelligent
funny,
lonely,
desperate
pleading
for
help
and
dead.
She
struggle
to
fight
her
demons.
I
T
T
The
drug
crisis
here
in
Philadelphia
and
nationwide
is
a
public
health
emergency
that
demand
all
of
our
attention
for
all
of
us
to
advocate
harder
to
save
lives.
The
CDC
reports,
emergency
room
visits
have
skyrocketed
by
70%,
that's
including
the
heroin
and
fentanyl
overdoses.
This
number
alone
says
how
many
people
are
doing
drugs
and
dying.
We
need
more
funding
to
help
prevent
this
deadly
epidemic,
this
disease,
from
killing
our
children
and
our
families,
and
there
are
not
enough
detox
beds
here.
The
number
of
beds
is
so
low
that
people
who
might
help
get
turned
away.
T
T
Excuse
me,
the
devastation
to
our
families.
It's
horrible
one
day,
weight
means
more
deaths.
More
funding
is
needed
to
get
more
treatments
more
beds
to
help
drug
overdose
is
a
leading
cause
of
death
in
the
United
States.
We
need
to
fight
for
a
healthy
society,
a
meaningful
way
of
life
for
families
and
protect
the
most
vulnerable
and
homeless.
T
Grandparents,
prescription
overdose
by
the
CDC
increased
by
twenty
percent
heroin
related
overdoses
increased
by
nineteen
point:
five
percent:
cocaine
related
overdose,
increased
the
death
by
54
percent
psychostimulant
related
deaths
increased
by
thirty
three
point:
three
percent:
we
need
to
protect
the
people
with
substance,
abuse,
addictions
by
expanding
treatments,
getting
access
to
beds,
prevention
and
recovery
services
to
prevent
drug
overdoses
will
require
will
require.
Excuse
me,
coordination
of
law
enforcement
first
responders
mental
health
and
substance,
abuse
providers,
public
health
agencies
and
community
partners.
We
need
funding
here.
T
Every
single
Street
in
Philadelphia
seems
to
have
drugs
everywhere.
You
look,
people
are
dying,
I
gotta,
be
honest
with
you,
I,
don't
know
about
the
safe
injection
sites.
I
know
if
we
have
more
I'm
out
there
on
the
streets
and
I
see,
but
it's
going
out
on
the
streets.
I
am
out
there
trying
to
help.
Like
many
many
thousands
of
advocates,
DB
aged
proact,
CV
age
I
mean
a
lot
of
agencies
are
out
there
helping.
There
needs
to
be
more
funding
to
get
people
into
these
treatments.
Why
are
there
50
detox
beds?
T
So
if
you've
got
50
detox
bed
and
there's
500
people
wanting
to
get
in,
you
got
450
that
are
gonna
die
waiting
to
get
any
Street
minutes.
That's
where
the
funding
needs
to
go.
We
got
trillions
of
dollars
coming
in
Philadelphia
how
about
spending
them
to
save
our
people,
our
children,
our
grandchildren,
because
you
don't
know
I'm
scared
to
death
for
my
grandchildren.
T
T
It's
gonna
be
one
of
my
grandchildren
that
I
go
to
the
funeral.
Like
I
went
to
my
friend's
funeral
and
seeing
that
coffin,
I've,
refused
I
will
be
out
there.
Fighting
and
doing
all
I
can,
and
so
are
many
other
advocates,
but
we
need
that
funding
to
help
people
instead
of
killing
them.
That's
all
I
got.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
A
This
is
not
acceptable.
This
wouldn't
be
happening
anywhere
else
in
the
city.
This
is
not
a
time
to
point
fingers,
though
this
is
really
a
time
of
how
do
we
better
coordinate?
How
do
we
hold
the
system
accountable?
How
do
we
add
transparency?
How
do
we
ensure
that
patients
these
low
barriers
to
entry
that
we
you
know
we
the
fact
that
we're
still
debating
an
ID
requirement
and
some
other
things?
It's
just
unacceptable,
and
if
this
is
a
crisis,
then
a
four
million
dollar
allocation
is
not
sufficient.
A
We
didn't
know
we
were
gonna,
win
the
Eagles,
but
guess
what
we
come
up
with
the
money
for
the
parade
tomorrow.
We'll
have
another
parade
when
you
listen
to
it's
gonna.
Take
four
hundred
thousand
dollars
to
manage
forty
respite
beds.
We're
gonna
spend
that
tomorrow,
in
a
parade
it
I
don't
want
to
be
a
for
those
of
you
who
are
sports
fans,
it's
a
priority,
and
if
it's
a
real
crisis,
our
budget
should
reflect
it.
A
I
do
appreciate
that
this
administration
and
Mayor
Kenny
who's
joined
us
out
here
on
several
occasions,
is
much
more
committed
to
this
than
we
were
in
the
past.
But
it
is
not
enough,
and
so
I
want
to
thank
all
of
you
and
continue
to
encourage
all
of
you.
I
want
to
thank
those
of
you
who
clean
your
streets.
A
Everyday,
you
know
the
folks
who
were
just
we're
warriors
to
the
children
who
have
to
walk
through
this
every
day
for
the
for
the
families
that
visitation
for
these
children
who
have
to
walk
through
this
every
day.
This
is
not
an
either-or,
it
is
an
ant
and
for
the
for
the
residents
to
have
faith
and
confidence
that
the
city
is
going
to
do
the
right
thing.
We
have
to
protect
them
and
then
you
can
take
care
of
the
others.
It
is.
A
A
Samy,
Nettie's,
I
got
folks
within
my
own
family
and
I.
Don't
believe
that
the
system
is
doing
enough,
I,
don't
think
we're
reforming
ourselves
enough
and
I,
don't
think
we're
supporting
the
stuff
that
is
working
enough,
and
so
with
that,
madam
chair
I,
thank
you
and
all
my
colleagues
for
coming
this
evening.
Thank.
K
Can
we
give
her
a
round
of
applause
because
she
really
has
worked
so
hard
and
we
all
have,
but
the
Councilwoman
is
ground
zero
for
the
epidemic
that
we
see
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
she's,
a
fighter
like
no
other,
so
I
just
really
want
to
say
that
I
appreciate
you
and
all
of
the
work
that
you've
done
on
behalf
of
all
of
City,
Council
and
I
want
to
thank
all
of
my
colleagues
for
being
here
tonight.
I
would
like
to
open
it
up
for
comments.
K
If
anyone
has
any
closing
comments
that
they
would
like
to
make
before
we
before
we
go
before
we
depart,
but
there's
one
thing
that
I
just
want
to
add,
and
that
is
for
the
last
young
lady
who
spoke
who
you
know
she
spoke
about
her
fear
and
her
fear
for
her
child
or
her
grandchildren,
and
that
is
a
fear
that
I
think
all
of
us
have.
We
are
all
very
much
afraid
because
I
don't
believe
that
addiction
is
a
choice.
I,
don't
believe
that
anyone
who's
over
in
those
encampments
and
I've
been
there
numerous
times.
K
I,
don't
believe
that
anyone
is
there
by
choice,
I
think
if
there
was
a
choice,
so
an
option
and
opportunity
that
people
will
take
it
to
get
out
of
that
situation.
So
we
need
to
work
together.
We
need
to
find
remedies
and
we
want
you
to
know
that,
despite
whatever
you
may
read
and
I
know
that
you
know
there
are
some
folks
who
were
gonna.
You
know
who
have
trashed
City
Council
before
about
this
issue
and
are
going
to
trash
this
again,
but
that's
okay.
K
We
are
here
to
fight
for
those
who
are
in
need,
and
we
may
not
agree
with
all
of
the
remedies
that
have
been
put
on
the
table,
but
we
are
here
to
represent
and
to
be
helpful
and
to
figure
out
a
remedy
for
this
solution
for
this
situation.
So
with
that
being
said,
if
any
of
my
colleagues
councilman
Squealer
yes.
G
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
madam
chair
and
I,
just
want
to
say
one
thing
too.
We
know
there's
not
just
one
answer
to
this
epidemic.
We
can't
just
do
one
thing
and
resolve
the
whole
situation,
and
you
know
this
has
to
be
a
multi
prong
approach
and
things
that
we
need
to
try.
You
know
we
have
evidence
based
on
certain
things
that
work
now,
but
you
know
ten
years
from
now,
they're
going
to
say
to
evidence-based
things.
We're
doing
today
are
no
good.
G
They
don't
work,
we're
going
to
do
something
new,
so
we
have
to
think
outside
the
box
on
some
things,
and
we
have
to
look
at
other
aspects
of
how
we
can
treat
this
situation,
but
why
we're
doing
that
and
I
think
the
chair
said
it
perfectly.
While
we're
doing
that,
we
also
have
to
look
at
the
people
that
are
surrounding
being
affected
by
what's
going
on
in
the
streets
too.
We
have
to
do
the
same
thing,
because
this
is
not.
G
You
can't
just
do
one
thing
to
help
the
people
being
affected
with
the
addiction,
but
also
the
people
being
affected
by
the
people
who
are
being
affected
by
the
addiction
and
it's
a
multi
prong
approach
to
be
able
to
handle
both
things,
and
it's
not
easy
because
it
hasn't
been
done
anywhere.
Yet
we've
talked
to
people
from
all
over
and
all
cities
and
everybody's
looking
at
each
other
to
find
out
what
they're
doing
best,
and
so
we
need
to
look
at
all.
G
These
approaches,
try
them
and
if
they
don't
work,
try
something
else
and
just
keep
going.
But
knowing
that
people
have
to
see
something
and
they
have
to
see
action,
because
if
they
don't
see
action,
they
think
nothing
is
happening
and
that's
where
we
were
lacking
it.
Up
to
this
point,
I
believe
we're
going
to
do
something
into
the
future.
I
see
that
we
have
an
opportunity
to
try
some
things
and
we're
working
toward
new,
add
new
choices
that
we're
gonna
make
and
in
the
future.
But
we
have
to
work
together
with
not
only
our
advocates.
G
We
have
so
many
great
advocates
out
there.
We
are
homeless,
advocates,
RM,
r,
CB,
h,
TBH,
the
police,
the
community
leaders.
Everybody
has
to
be
involved
in
this
because
it's
not
one
person's
not
going
to
be
able
to
solve
it
and
I
want
to
thank
all
the
people
who
came
and
testified,
because
what
they
didn't
do
is
just
tell
us
what
the
problems
were.
G
They
actually
came
up
with
possible
solutions
and
ways
to
fix
this
thing,
and
that's
what's
important
because
I
know
a
lot
of
people
think
all
the
elected
officials
have
all
the
answers,
but
we
don't
so
listen
to
those
ideas
out
there
from
the
public
are
really
helpful
and
hopefully
we
could
implement
some
of
those
ideas
moving
forward.
So
thank
you
for
your
time
and
efforts
and
thank
you,
madam
chair
and
Councilwoman
Sanchez,
for
all
the
work
that
you've
put
into
this
Thank.
Q
Kim,
thank
you
very
much,
madam
chair.
First
I
just
want
to
open
by
thanking
my
colleagues
here
in
City
Council
and
especially,
of
course,
our
real
warrior.
Councilwoman
Maria
quinones
Sanchez
on
this
issue.
I
thought
that
this
was
an
incredibly
powerful
meeting,
I'm
sorry
that
I
couldn't
be
here
earlier,
though,
I
did
read
everybody's
testimony,
those
who
submitted
for
the
March
12th
and
we'll
certainly
be
reviewing
all
of
it
today.
Q
I'm
really
thoughtful,
especially
for
the
people
who
came
out
and
spoke
for
children
as
chair
of
Children
and
Youth,
that
somebody
who
came
in
to
City
Council,
with
a
real
focus
on
what
it
meant
to
grow
up
as
a
child
in
this
city.
I
am
very,
very
grateful
to
the
parents
to
the
children's
advocates
who
are
out
there.
We
are
trying
to
drive
as
many
resources
as
we
can
to
be
thoughtful
and
to
concentrate
them,
particularly
in
areas
of
high
need.
We've
doubled
the
number
of
social
workers
moving
into
schools.
Q
Those
who
spoke
on
behalf
of
young
people,
who
witness
horrors
that
go
far
beyond
anything,
that
any
child
should
ever
see
in
those
years,
I'm
grateful
to
you.
We
hear
you,
we
need
you
to
be
louder
about
it.
We
have
to
make
sure
that
our
kids
grow
up,
recognizing
that
this
is
not
something
that's
normalized.
It's
also
not
something.
Q
This
issue
we're
gonna,
try
and
figure
out
a
solution.
I've
had
a
chance,
over
the
last
couple
of
months
to
visit
to
safe
injection
sites
in
other
parts
of
the
world,
to
hear
them
talk
about
what
it
means
and
it's
not
only
that
they
save
lies,
but
it's
also
that
they
help
communities
deal
with
a
critical
problem.
They
take
drug
use
and
illegal
drug
use
off
the
streets.
They
clean
up
areas
that
are
filled
to
the
brim.
Q
We
have
to
do
so
much
more
I
want
to
partner,
with
all
of
my
council
members
to
make
sure
that,
whatever
solutions
that
we
put
forward
comes
with
the
money,
the
passion,
the
civic
engagement
and
the
attention
that
this
community
as
much
and
if
not
more
so
than
any
other,
truly
deserves.
So
thank
you.
J
Thank
you,
madam
chair
and
Thank
You,
councilman
Maria.
You
know
Sanchez
for
always
addressing
these
issues
and
keeping
these
issues
on
the
forefront.
I
want
to
thank
all
of
the
people
that
testified
here
and
bring
your
voices
here
on
the
issues
you're
dealing
with
at
the
residents
in
the
communities
are
being
afflicted
by
there's
these
addictions
and
also
by
those
who
are
speak
on
behalf
of
those
who
are
addicted.
But
I
want
you
to
also
hold
us
accountable,
not
just
on
one
evening,
but
hold
us
accountable
when
some
of
the
news
stories
start
to
dissipate.
J
You
don't
hear
about
it
as
much.
We
need
to
continue
to
hear
your
voices
to
hold
us
accountable
and
I
agree
with
my
colleague,
councilman
Sanchez,
that
this
is
an
and
issue.
We
have
to
find
ways
to
provide
Public,
Safety
and
also
help
for
the
residents
in
this
community,
as
well
as
help
those
who
are
addicted,
and
we
also
need
to
hear
your
voice
is
not
just
in
events
like
this,
but
in
our
city
budget
hearings.
J
So
when
we
have
public
testimony,
we
need
to
make
sure
that
people
realize
this
is
a
priority
and
that
people
should
not
be
suffering
in
silence.
They
should
not
be
suffering
in
their
communities
and
then
we
need
to
make
this
a
priority
and
how
we
allocate
dollars.
So
we
need
you
to
continue
to
hold
your
voices
out
there
and
hold
us
accountable,
so
we
can
try
to
come
up
with
solutions
to
address
this
complex
issue.
Thank
you.
Thank.