From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Attachments:
David Stalheim Allan Giffen Kathy Davis FW: Methadone Clinic Wednesday, November 01, 2017 4:17:38 PM image003.png
________________________________________ From: Tom Hoban [
[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2017 3:32 PM To: David Stalheim Subject: Methadone Clinic Dear City of Everett Planning Commission, Our firm owns or manages more than a dozen properties inside the Downtown Everett core. As stakeholders, I would like to speak against the proposed rezone you’re hearing in your public meeting on November 7th. REASONS TO OPPOSE THE REZONE:
* Other Snohomish County cities must join the fight against opiate addiction. I am told the proposed clinic is intended to serve the Tulalip / Marysville area. Everett can’t bear the cost of fighting opiate addiction on its own.
* The City’s own planning staff opposes this change. It is my understanding that City staff recommend rezoning an area along North Broadway or Evergreen Way to accommodate a second clinic due to the high concentration of services already existing downtown. The proposed rezone also conflicts with the City’s Metro Plan which seeks to add more housing, retail, and other business uses in the downtown core.
* Downtown Everett already has a disproportionate share of services. Downtown Everett has the highest level of services relative to any other place in the city. The concentration of services and related impacts to public safety have created challenges and barriers to revitalizing Everett’s urban core. Moreover, Catholic Community Services already operates a drug treatment center downtown.
* Methadone clinics adversely impact retail. THS employs a “Community Relations Monitor” to patrol a small area around their clinics to address loitering and other problems caused by their clients. In spite of their efforts, their clients have caused problems for neighboring businesses and can create a negative perception of the area among customers and visitors. THS estimates the clinic will serve between 400 – 600 clients per day.
* Revitalizing downtown is critical to funding services. Creating a vibrant downtown with successful housing, retail, and businesses is a critical part of expanding our tax base to pay for important community services over the long-term. Siting a methadone clinic in the downtown core may threaten much needed economic development and essential future revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, and B&O taxes.
Our firm helped some of the existing social service firms locate in Everett’s Downtown, so we are not against the
idea of social services as part of the fabric of the community. It’s a matter of fairness to my way of thinking: Is it fair for Downtown Everett to take on a disproportionate load while surrounding communities bear a lighter load? Tom Hoban | Chairman & Co-founder COAST GROUP OF COMPANIES 2829 Rucker Ave, Everett, WA 98201 www.coastequitypartners.com www.coastmgt.com www.coastwps.com www.cpmnw.com o 425.339.3638 | d 425.551.0802 | m 425.422.3481 | LinkedIn Do the right thing | Others-centered | Professionalism | Get it Done [cid:
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From: To: Subject: Date: Attachments: Importance:
Allan Giffen Kathy Davis Opiate substitution code amendment Wednesday, November 01, 2017 9:03:07 AM Questions regarding the proposed methadone clinic.docx THS resonses to Children"s Museum Questions.pdf High
Kathy – can you please forward this to the Planning Commission? Thank you Planning Commission – attached is a list of questions just received from the Imagine Children’s Museum (IMC). This list has several questions that were provided previously to staff and Therapeutic Health Services (THS), and responses to the earlier list of questions were provided by THS and are included in your packet. That previous set of responses is attached to this email, but it does not answer all of the questions in this latest list of questions from IMC. Allan Giffen From: Deb Williams Sent: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 8:11 AM To: DL-Council ; Mayor Stephanson ; Allan Giffen Subject: FW: Nancy - important Importance: High Allan Can you please forward to planning commission. Thank you! Deb From: Nancy Johnson [mailto:
[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 5:42 PM To: Deb Williams Cc: Clay Wertheimer - Everett Bone & Joint Center (
[email protected]) Subject: Nancy - important Importance: High Deb, It has come to our attention that the location of the proposed methadone clinic is coming before the Planning Commission on November 7th. We have concerns related to the proximity of this facility being within 1 block of the Museum. Attached are some question that our Board of Directors has compiled. We would like to have them answered prior to any decisions being made. Would you please be so kind as to forward this email to the Mayor, City Council, and Planning Commission?
Regards, Nancy
Nancy Johnson
Executive Director Imagine Children's Museum www.ImagineCM.org 1502 Wall Street, Everett, WA 98201 Phone: (425) 258-1006, Ext. 1013 | Cell: (425) 478-0630
Questions related to the proposed methadone clinic that Imagine Children’s Museum would like answered. • • • • • • • • • • •
• • •
What research has been done regarding methadone clinics in locations similar to ours (proximity within one block of a children’s museum)? What challenges needed to be addressed? We would suggest that separation requirements for public and private schools similar to those required in Everett City Code 19.39.025.4. be required of the Opiate substitution treatment facilities in the B3 zone. It should include the children’s museum, which is a learning facility serving children. How many would the proposed facility serve (daily, weekly, and monthly)? What are the proposed days and hours of operation? What determines capacity? Is that something that can be modified in the future? Does the treatment involve more than just the distribution of the methadone? What is the average length of an appointment? Are there restrictions around how long clients can remain on the property either prior to or following their appointment? Once opened, who has governance over the clinics as it relates to local issues that may arise? If the clinic is supposed to serve all of Snohomish County that covers 2090 square miles, and if the problem it is trying to address is located throughout the county, then why two in Everett located 3.3 miles from each other? How will the numbers served affect traffic and parking in the area? At the previous City Planning Commission public meeting related to this topic, it was stated that easy access to the clinics are important. Why is this facility not being located near the transit center or a location closer to I-5? Again, if this is truly to serve all of Snohomish County proximity to I-5 and a transit hub should be considered. We assume this is not spot zoning and the Opiate substitution treatment facilities will be allowed throughout the B-3 Zone. Please provide the code text amendment application which will allow Opiate substitution treatment facilities as a permitted use in B-3 zoning. Has an analysis of conflicting uses been completed within the B-3 Zone? If so, please provide the conflict map.
THERAPEUTIC HEALTH SERVIVCES
Questions related to methadone clinics that we would like the Downtown Everett Association to address as part of their discovery process: •
How do we learn more about methadone clinics? o
THS has a newly updated and enhanced website (www.ths-wa.org) which has extensive information about the programs and services we provide across our 10 branches (including the 5 branches: Summit, Seneca, Shoreline, Everett, and East Side which dispense methadone). SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-a Federal agency), has an information page on their website regarding methadone and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/treatment/methadone. THS also welcomes pre-scheduled tours of our facilities. Please call our Snohomish/Everett Branch at 425-347-5121 to arrange a tour. THS would also welcome a visit to our Summit/Seneca Branches located on First Hill in Seattle if you wish to view first-hand how THS works with our neighbors to provide treatment in an urban, upscale environment.
•
How many will the proposed TC facility serve (daily, weekly, and monthly)? o
The intention of THS would be to first transfer clients from our South Everett Branch and let the census work up to 350 clients. From there the census would increase slowly up to the maximum number allowable by the State of Washington in consultation with Snohomish County which is currently set at 850. However, not all clients come for medication every day. Clients who are in compliance with their treatment objectives may be eligible to carry a certain number of doses home with them, so they don’t have to come to the clinic every day. Currently, with 850 clients, approximately 500 clients would come into the branch every day. Saturdays, the first eligible day for a carry, the number would drop to near 400. All branches are closed on Sunday. Additionally, THS has pioneered a color code system whereby clients are required to come to the branch for their medication within an assigned 45 minutes of time, starting as early as 6am. This is intended to allow those who are working and need to get to work to get their medication early. It also is intended to eliminate congestion and loitering.
•
Does the treatment involve more than just the distribution of the methadone? o
Medication Assisted Treatment at THS involves much more than ingestion of methadone. We offer Substance Use Disorder treatment which includes one on one 1
THERAPEUTIC HEALTH SERVIVCES counseling appointments weekly for the first 90 days and then at a minimum one time a month after 90 days. Our patients are seen annually for physicals and follow up consultations based on their lab results. We have 6 mandatory groups and many voluntary groups that are available for clients to access. We have mental health professionals on staff to treat patients with co-occurring disorders and we have medical providers on staff every day to dispense medication and also for medication management consultations. THS pioneered our Pregnant & Parenting Program (P3) facilitated by an expert on pregnancy and substance use disorder. P3 provides counseling uniquely tailored to the needs of women in recovery, parenting and relationship skills workshops and groups and a peer support network. •
What is the average length of an appointment? o
Depending on the type of appointment, counseling sessions can be 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes long depending on client needs. Medical appointments are generally 20-30 minutes long. If a client is coming to the clinic for dosing only and has no appointments, dosing generally takes 5-10 minutes. Group sessions can last 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
•
Are clients permitted to remain at the facility once finished? For example, feeding programs allow participants to remain on their grounds after eating. o
Loitering is prohibited in our Code of Conduct which is signed by every client, and monitored closely by various staff. THS will employ a dedicated staff person called a Community Relations Monitor who will patrol the neighborhood outside of the facility to help clients to move quickly and quietly in and out of the neighborhood. Patients are required to leave the facility after their appointments. As mentioned above, the overall flow of patient traffic into the neighborhood is controlled by our color coded dosing system.
•
Can patients bring children to appointments? o
Children, other than infants, are not allowed in the dispensary. Inhouse childcare/babysitting is offered for our patients while they are accessing services. This could mean for ten minutes while the parent is obtaining their medication or for one to two hours while the parent is attending individual or group counseling. Registration of all children is required and immunizations must be up to date. Please note that THS does not provide day care.
2
THERAPEUTIC HEALTH SERVIVCES •
What determines capacity? Is that something that can be modified in the future? o
The State of Washington and the Snohomish County Council determine capacity of local clinics. Due to increased demand for treatment in Snohomish County over the past 10 years, THS has been repeatedly asked to increase our census progressing from 350, to 500, to 600 and then to 750, and currently to 850. It is doubtful that the census would be allowed to increase above this number at a single branch.
•
Is it common for methadone clinics to be within a block of institutions serving children (schools, children’s museum)? Are there cases where this has been done successfully? Our Shoreline Branch is within 1,000 feet of Shoreline High School. Our Summit/Seneca Branch is just two blocks from The Northwest School. To date, we have not had any problems involving our patients and the students. Some evidence indicates that in locales where methadone clinics have been located, crime and illicit activity have decreased: http://www.futurity.org/methadone-clinics-neighborhoods-crime-1097432/, https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2016/spring/nimby-drug-treament-centers/. Furthermore, a patient’s likelihood to be involved in property and violent crime goes down significantly while they are in treatment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9494936
•
Who has governance over the clinics? What does the governance involve? o
THS is governed and monitored by multiple federal, state and local entities. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has oversight of our medication and its management. The Pharmacy Board completes an annual audit/survey. The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) reviews our operations every three years. The Washington State Department of Behavioral Health and Rehabilitation (DBHR) provides licensure for all our behavioral health services. THS is required to follow all federal regulations and the Washington Administrative Codes. THS has contracts with North Sound Behavioral Health Organization (NSBHO) and Snohomish County Human Services. We also have extensive contracts with the City of Seattle and with King County. Our contract performance is regularly audited by contract monitors. Internally, as a 501 (c) (3), not for profit organization, THS is governed by its own volunteer Board of Directors.
•
Do we have an overlay map of the Everett and downtown core and what services are in place or projected? o
THS does not have this information. 3
THERAPEUTIC HEALTH SERVIVCES •
For existing clinics, why are they located where they are? o
Within the context of existing zoning requirements, THS attempts to locate clinics where demand is the highest. Proximity to other services needed by our patient population is also a consideration. Access to public transportation is a requirement of the State of Washington.
•
Is the zoning modification more about available building? o
THS staff have spent the last year and a half work with the Mayor’s Office, the city Planning Department, Facility Department and the Director of Public Health and Safety to find a location that could work for all of us. To date, the Trask Building on the corner of Pacific and Rucker is the only building THS has been able to locate that could meet our requirements.
•
When we listened at the City Planning Commission meeting, some of the audience who spoke said that the ability for people to get to these clinics is very important. We are wondering why there is not serious consideration being given to some place close to the transit center. Both Community Transit and Everett Transit service that area. Any site that could meet our needs and the requirements of the State of Washington would be considered.
•
We realize that currently there is only one additional clinic being proposed but what prevents future expansion/growth? o
The clinic in north Everett is currently being proposed because it is the site of the most need. If conditions in Snohomish County continued to accelerate and Snohomish County asked us to site an additional clinic, THS review the areas of most need and proceed to site in that location. It would be highly unlikely that that would be in the City of Everett.
•
Is this spot zoning? o THS is not qualified to answer this question.
•
Who owns the Trask building? o THS has not been able to determine ownership status of this building.
•
If the clinic serves all of Snohomish County why 2 in Everett? Wouldn’t another town be a better option? o According to data supplied by Snohomish County, the highest area of need is currently in downtown Everett. The next highest area of need would be in south Marysville. 4
THERAPEUTIC HEALTH SERVIVCES
•
•
How will the numbers served affect traffic and parking in the area? o Parking and traffic flow are carefully monitored at all THS branches providing Medication Assisted Treatment. THS hires parking lot/community monitors to direct traffic, control loitering, etc. As mentioned above, our color-coded dosing system also helps to control the total number of patients in the neighborhood at any given time Do they serve Medicare/Medicaid? o Yes. 95% of our patients are funded through Apple Health.
•
Please show us the code text amendment application. o Obtainable through the City of Everett Planning Department
•
Please show us a conflict map. o THS administrative staff are not familiar with the use of this tool in this context
5
November 2, 2017 Everett Planning Commotion Why are you even considering a methadone clinic in down town Everett??? My first thought is who is getting paid to think this is a good idea??? My second thought did the Planning Commotion not read the Everett Community Street Initiative Task Force Report stating, ‘Everett should not be the single locus of activity to address what are in fact county wide challenges” [page one Task Force Report November 13, 2014]. The downtown core already has a huge share of services for the homeless/drugged addicted population, there is no need for another new service in the downtown core!!! Ten months ago, my husband and I were driving to the dump we turned onto 100 street, I was shocked to see 20 to 30 peoples milling around a parking lot with discarded beverage containers and fast food wrappers everywhere. I later learned that was the Methadone Clinic is south Everett. With 400 to 600 people clients per day Downtown Everett will be stretched in picking up the cigarette butts and garbage not to mention parking problems created by their clientele. This is a bad idea for the downtown core of Everett. Please do not change the zoning it’s there for a good reason. Sandra Kramer 723 Laurel Drive Everett
From: To: Cc: Subject: Date:
David Stalheim Allan Giffen Kathy Davis FW: Are You Kidding Me???? Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:25:51 PM
________________________________________ From: Curtis Shriner [
[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:20 PM To: Ajay Mathison Cc: David Stalheim Subject: Re: Are You Kidding Me???? Thank you! On Nov 2, 2017 4:19 PM, "Ajay Mathison" wrote: Dear Sir, To even consider allowing an opiate treatment clinic a block away from Imagine Children’s Museum and close to the Shack Art Center and the core of the city is unimaginable. Certainly you can’t be under any misconceptions about the kinds of people, the illicit and illegal crimes that are attracted to this kind of clinic. Please don’t even consider allowing the rezoning of 3025 Rucker that would allow such a center. Look at all the things that Seattle has done wrong and how their drug and homeless problems have only exploded. Don’t mirror their mistakes. You won’t make downtown Everett better by allowing legalized substance abuse to these loser who already roam the streets and make them unsafe. Lock ‘em up or send them to Seattle where they’re evidently welcome. Thank you, Ajay Mathison Concerned Citizen 1720 W. Mukilteo Blvd. Everett, WA 98203
From: To: Cc: Subject: Date:
David Stalheim Allan Giffen Kathy Davis FW: Are You Kidding Me???? Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:27:12 PM
________________________________________ From: Ajay Mathison [
[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:19 PM To: David Stalheim Subject: Are You Kidding Me???? Dear Sir, To even consider allowing an opiate treatment clinic a block away from Imagine Children’s Museum and close to the Shack Art Center and the core of the city is unimaginable. Certainly you can’t be under any misconceptions about the kinds of people, the illicit and illegal crimes that are attracted to this kind of clinic. Please don’t even consider allowing the rezoning of 3025 Rucker that would allow such a center. Look at all the things that Seattle has done wrong and how their drug and homeless problems have only exploded. Don’t mirror their mistakes. You won’t make downtown Everett better by allowing legalized substance abuse to these loser who already roam the streets and make them unsafe. Lock ‘em up or send them to Seattle where they’re evidently welcome. Thank you, Ajay Mathison Concerned Citizen 1720 W. Mukilteo Blvd. Everett, WA 98203
From: To: Cc: Subject: Date:
David Stalheim Allan Giffen Kathy Davis FW: Opposing the opiate treatment clinic in Everett Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:26:40 PM
________________________________________ From: Patricia Najour [
[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2017 4:16 PM To: David Stalheim Subject: Opposing the opiate treatment clinic in Everett Hello,
I just recently heard that the Everett Planning Commission is re-considering a rezone for downtown Everett to allow a second opiate treatment clinic in Everett and the proposed location is one block from the Imagine Children’s Museum.
My children and I frequent the Imagine Children’s Museum often. It is such a wonderful museum for children and it is one of the best in the area.
I am definitely extremely opposed opening a second opiate treatment clinic especially in a location so close to this children museum.
Thank you for your consideration. Patricia Najour