SE Colorado Region 19 Opioid Settlement Board
September 25, 2023 via Zoom
Present, County represented
Kim MacDonnell, Bent
Blaine Arbuthnot, Crowley
John Galusha, Huerfano
Dennis Pearson, Kiowa
Rob Oquist, Otero
Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Prowers
Felix Lopez, Las Animas
Megan Hillman, Kiowa
Rose Pugliese, Facilitator
Rick Butler, Baca
Meagan Hillman, Kiowa
Eppie Griego, Pueblo
Steve Bryant, Pueblo
Shawn Mobley, Otero
Guests
Sarah Long, Pueblo County Attorney’s Office
Michelle Wiseman, Pueblo County Attorney’s Office
Jack Patterson, Mindy Baumgardner, Colorado Attorney General’s Office
Matt Fisher, Christine Charron, Robert Guerrero, SCHN
Sarah Mobley, SCHN
Terri Schreiber, The Schreiber Group
Stacey Samaro, CTP
Sheila Richmeie, Remedy
Marissa Stoller, Pueblo City
Sam Bourdon, CDPHE
Kristen Carpenter
Rob Miller, Safeside Recovery
Barefoot PR
Call to Order
Wendy Buxton-Andrade calls the meeting to order at 3:01PM
Approval of Agenda
Rick from Baca Felix Lopez seconds approves the agenda with the note that Barefoot will have an update after the harm reduction speaker.
Approval of Minutes
Shawn Mobley moves to approve minutes from 9-11-23, Kim MacDonnell seconds. Minutes as presented are approved unanimously.
Facilitator Update
The RFP Committee will meet on Friday to discuss Harm Reduction RFP. Process – smaller committee reviews proposals and then makes recommendations to the larger board – let Rose know of any questions. It may be a few weeks before it comes back to the committee as a whole. RFP Committee meets on Friday 9-29-23
Harm Reduction Speaker
Commissioner Buxton Andrade introduces Sam Bourden from CDPHE for a brief overview of Harm Reduction.
Sam Bourdon from CDPHE is the Grants Fund Manager of the Overdose Prevention Unit- CDPHE
The State does not define harm reduction. It is defined by the people doing the work and is grassroots. Is not a paternalistic approach and is about uplifting people who use drugs. We all exist on a substance use spectrum. Substance Use does not exist in a vacuum. CDPHE funds 13 different projects across the state to implement evidence-based harm reduction efforts focused on ensuring that people who use drugs are able to reduce the risks associated with drug use.
Free Fentanyl Test Strips, Syringe Access Programs this in hopes to improve health outcomes.
Felix Lopez requested that the power point slides be shared with the board. Sam will share her slides with Rose who will provide them to the board.
Harm Reduction takes into account poverty, racism, disability, not being house, having a chronic illness and takes into account that many individuals are unable to access healthcare.
Barefoot PR
Update on the website development
Warm Hand-offs v. self assessment tool on the website.
Roll Out of RFPs for 2nd Year Funding
Rose is looking for feedback on how the board prefers to roll out the next set of RFPs. Felix prefers to do them by type so that the committee is able to really dial in. Kim Macdowell completely agrees that doing the RFP in separate types is the best way. Doing more than one is overwhelming. Wendy Buxton-Andrade agrees that doing multiple types is overwhelming. Blaine Arbuthnot requests a time frame. Wendy suggests that the RFPs happen consecutively, that once one is approved, that the board releases the next RFP. Felix concurs with Wendy. The board directs Rose to do the RFPS in a rolling manner, releasing one RFP after the other.
Other business
Three Mini Grants have been received. Prowers is fully executed. Bent and Otero are on their way.
Wendy and Felix have a request for a potential executive session.
Next meeting
Monday October 9th. 3-4 exec 4-5
Adjournment
Felix, Shawn and John moved to adjourn 3:57PM
Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Wiseman
Paralegal 1
Pueblo County Attorney’s Office