"How does a assembly member from Southern CA know what we want or need in Humboldt when they do not communicate at all?" Safe injection site not a DHHS or County effort

How did Humboldt get included as a safe injection site in AB 186?

And who advocated for it?

This is a link to the Channel 3 video.

http://kiem-tv.com/video/proposed-bill-would-bring-safe-injection-sites-drug-users-humboldt-mendocino

The only interviewed is Brandie Wilson from Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction Center. There was no comment from DHHS, a Eureka City Council member or a Humboldt County Supervisor.






I reached out to see who knew and what they knew. Was able to reach Fifth District Supervisor Ryan Sundberg.

"The first I heard about it was when it was in the news," said Fifth District Supervisor Ryan Sundberg. " It is troubling when you see an assembly bill with Humboldt in it and there has been almost no outreach. How does a assembly member from Southern CA know what we want or need in Humboldt when they do not communicate at all?"

Supervisor Sundberg said this is not an effort coming from the County.

DHHS Director Connie Beck contacted Humboldt CAO Amy Nilsen in an email after the Channel 3 video was broadcast.

Beck :"I had not heard that Humboldt had been involved in this in any way so I asked Nancy about this.  The response below is from Brandie Wilson who is the Director person from Harm Reduction.  She is not an employee of the county.  When it refers to social services it is not referring to DHHS."

In an email from DHHS County Legislative Analyst Nancy Starck, she states that the bill requires Board or City Council approval. Starck:  "I asked Public Health staff to reach out to the Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction to ask how Humboldt came to be specified in the bill and whether they had spoken to elected officials on the Board of Supervisors or City Council members."

DHHS Public Health Education Specialist Anna Owings-Heidrick responded with a response attributed to Brandie Wilson.


"Hi Nancy,


Here’s the information Brandie shared.  I think it’ll be helpful.


Hi Anna, I have spoken with a few Council members before.  I have a meeting with Natalie Arroyo next week.  I have met wiergil before about this.  The Human Rights Commission I have been engaging with over some of this as well.  I would like to focus on Eureka and Arcata City council because I have an established relationship with them. I have not engaged any BOS with this other than virginia bass briefly.


It may be important to advocate for this as a coalition so that we can make a strategy of who has connections with whom and what are the best approaches we can do.  We have an exhibit of one that we did at the Criminal Justice Dialogue and we have a number of Infographic posters that we have created for some of the education for this piece.  It looks like we will also be exhibiting our prototype again this month and over the summer.


Please let your analyst know that she can contact me regarding this bill if she has any questions as we have been following it an advocating for it for a number of months now."

I have contacted HACHR. I asked who advocated for it and if DHHS, BOS or the City of Eureka was consulted.

The response I got was "our death rate data."