SE Colorado Region 19 Opioid Settlement Board
January 8, 2024 via Zoom
Present, County represented
Blaine Arbuthnot, Terry McMillian, Crowley
Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Prowers
Felix Lopez, Tony Haus, Las Animas
Dennis Pearson, Kiowa
Rob Oquist, Otero
Eppie Griego/Steve Bryant, Pueblo
Kim McDonnell, Bent
Rose Pugliese, Facilitator
Guests
Sarah Long, Pueblo County Attorney’s Office
Rob Miller, Wendi Stent, Ryan Morgan, SafeSide Recovery
Kristin Carpenter, Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
Arleen Cooke, Otero County Health
Lori Camacho-Valleses, Charles Davis, Crossroads
Michelle Francis, Charities of Southern Colorado
LeAnna Pacheco, Heidi Martin, Health Solutions
Michelle W.
Shannon Miller
Sarah Money, Ashley McCutcheon, Southern Colorado Health Network
Andrea LaRew, Colorado Chiropractic Association
Call to Order
Wendy Buxton-Andrade calls the meeting to order at 3:00 pm.
Approval of Agenda
Rob Oquist motioned and Felix Lopez seconded the approval of the agenda – Agenda approved.
Approval of Minutes
Blaine Arbuthnot and Steve Bryant moved and seconded the approval of the minutes – Minutes approved.
Facilitator Update
Rose updated on RFP responses and will get those out to everyone soon. We do have a vacated spot by Kim McDonnell on the committee, if anyone wants to join the RFP committee, please let us know. If not, Wendy Andrade said she can continue as a member. She stepped aside so Meagan Hillman could step on, but is willing to step back on the committee. Felix Lopez asked for who the standing members are on the committee. Rose responded that the members are Meagan Hillman, Blaine Arbuthnot, Felix Lopez, Rob Oquist and Wendy Andrade (taking Kim McDonnells position now). If anyone wants to later take a seat on the RFP committee from the board, to please let Rose or Wendy know. Rose explained the RFP criteria and will send out a memo to all the members of the committee reviewing each of the RFP respondents have met criteria and then the committee will review the RFP’s and give their recommendations to the whole board for the allocation’s approval vote and/or additional questions. After the recorded votes Rose will issue the contracts and send them out to the awardees.
Financial updates from Pueblo are still being worked on and will hopefully be completed soon. Crowley county has received partial funding totaling $162,818.40.
Presentations from Lived Experience Individuals.
Arlene Cook from Otero County Health shared her experience as a child and an adult of substance misuse. Talked about taking away the stigma and taking that away in our communities and giving people the second chance in our communities. Understanding each person’s story from the people on the street to the children in the classroom, we all need to show compassion and not judgement and help those that in need to get back on their feet and support them, knowing that it might not be short term fix, it’s the long-term outcomes for the person as well as the communities we live in and they live in. Access to care because of the judgment of the communities needs to change so people reach out to care and normalizing the help for substance misuse/disorder. Giving those with the disorder a sense of purpose. Harm reduction positive story that has been used to get a person into treatment and building the relationships and being a positive influence to get people the sport.
Lori Camacho from Crossroads and she works with Southern District. She came from Denver and went to Fort Lyon to get sober and the courts sent her there. Fort Lyon worked for her because it wasn’t a forced recovery. Barriers for people going through recovery, the stigma or the rejection of the communities. Education of what substance misuse means and what it looks like. Funding is a big barrier and the gap between Detox and rehab. Rehab after detox can take 3 to 5 weeks and we need the gap to be funded so the person can be housed and not go back to the environment they were in before, to keep them sober until a rehab is available and they can continue on their journey or sobriety. The jails also need to have therapeutic classes for the individuals so they can learn about their addiction, via video or whatever, so they can start understanding their disease. Also need to have the 72-hour windows to get the MAT services they are needing when they are incarnated.
Wendi Stent with Safeside talked about the stigma of it’s all the provider’s fault. Storage units or other options to store people’s possessions to help them feel comfortable and not giving up all their possessions because they have a safe place to store their items while going to rehab or creating a plan for them. Finding local sources for people to get clean in their communities and changing people’s support systems. Creating that collaboration within our communities so people know the resources that are available in their own communities.
Ryan Morgan shared his personal story of recovery and went through MAT program and it did help him in his recovery. NARCAN saved his life a few years before he began his journey to recovery. He currently works for Safeside. Sees those resources in the southern area, there aren’t enough resources for people to be able to get sober and begin their recovery. Talked about seeing the culture of addiction and how many families have it from generation to generation and how it’s passed down, especially in the Southern area.
Blaine had a question for the group on the gap services we need to provide and what the settlement dollars could be used to help with that gap. Rose spoke about how with the RFP for Treatment could include that gap treatment that is so needed. Felix also spoke about stigma and removing the negative judgement and launching a campaign to remove the stigma through the local communities and educating the communities one group at a time to advance the change in the communities.
Rose asked if the board wants to add an educational piece in each of the RFP’s going forward. Blaine agreed and so does Kim and so does the board that we can add that to the RFP’s.
Previous Tabled Item
Health Solutions would like to make a change to Scope of Work. Presentation from Heidi Martin and LeAnna Pacheco from Health Solutions with the explanation. Provider in the high schools of Trinidad and Walsenburg to help with barriers for students to get treatment. They originally had a Master Degree requirement (they cannot find a Master’s degree level in the area) and now they want to change that to a school-based care specialist that can have a bachelors level degree to teach coping skills. Felix asked if they hire a bachelors level person would benefits to the clients be diminished? Heidi answered that some things that a person with a bachelors will not be able to do all that a masters level person would have, but the benefits would not be diminished. They will have to refer out, with higher level of care when it’s out of the scope of work for the bachelor’s level education. Heidi Martin will continue to assist in all aspects of the work and can guide that person. Working with the school with making the connections with others and continuing to break down the barriers for the care. Wendy Andrade asked about the barriers and one of them being transportation and if that is an effect on their care. Heidi answered that sometimes it can be and they are working on those barriers also.
Felix Lopez motioned to accept the change of the Scope of Work and seconded by Rob Oquist. Roll call vote, Yes – Kiowa, Prowers, Bent, Otero, Crowley, Las Animas, Pueblo. Not present were Baca and Huerfano. Motion passed.
Other business
None presented.
A short discussion was had on the RFP committee and how things are sent out and evaluated.
Felix also requested that year one RFP recipients be asked to come back and present on what they have done with the settlement dollars they have been awarded. This will be added to the May Agenda and Rose will give an overview of the reports they have submitted.
The next board meeting will be 02/12/2024 at 3:00 p.m.
Adjournment
Felix Lopez moved to adjourn, Rob Oquist seconds adjournment – Motion approved. Adjourned at 4:11 pm.
Next meeting:
Monday February 12, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.