I'm chairperson. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez it is.
9:56 a.m. On May 15 2024 and this meeting of the Chicago
City council's committee on health and human relations will
now come to order. Thank you all for being here.
Uh today we will be discussing the following items the
approval of the rule 45 report for our meeting on februari
28th.
We will have a subject matter hearing, uh, which is a
presentation from the Department of Public Health regarding
Chicago's response to the opioid epidemic and resources
available to Chicago Ones.
Um, we are also discussing our 20240000083 89, uh, which is
an expression of support, uh for right for
self-determination for the people of Puerto Rico and
opposition to Puerto Rico status Act.
And we will be holding in committee. Um, uh our 2024
0000000 8942, um at the request of alderman Martin.
and we have
um ordinance 202400000088 as a requirement for City
departments and agencies to include the signation of Middle
Eastern or North African on data reports using racial or
ethnic classification.
Before we begin I will call the role to establish Quorum.
Uh, Alderman Robinson.
Is not here.
alderman, jansy
uh Vice chair Ramirez
Alderman Gutierrez
Alderman Lopez
uh Alderman Coleman
Alderman sichel Lopez
um Alderman Fuentes
alderwoman Cruise
Alderman Ramirez Rosa
Alderman Lawson
Alderman Mana hoppenworth
uh Other Woman Haden
and Cher Rodriguez Sanchez is here. We have a quorum.
Uh, there are 8 members present and we have a quorum. Are
there any non members present? Uh, I think I have the other
vas here is present. Um as a non member
We have a request for remote participation citing rule 159
from Alderman Robinson alderwoman cruise and Elder woman
Ramirez. Can I get a motion to approve the remote
participation?
Um, so moved by other woman Fuentes, uh, all of those in
agreement. Please signify by saying I
opposed say nay in the opinion of the chairs that I have
it.
Can we look and see if they are they have joined us?
Are they there?
Okay.
so we will begin our meeting with time for public comment
the period is limited to 30 minute and each speaker is
limited to 3 minutes we have
We have 5 speakers today. We are going to start with uh,
the speakers who have signed on remotely.
um
And the other ones will be in random order.
Uh, the first speaker is Cheryl Miller.
Um, if um, thank you, um chairwoman. My name is Cheryl
Miller. I'm the health Justice organizer at Southside
together organizing for power and um, I um am here today
because I am am speaking on behalf of our health Justice.
committee, um at stop um, because we are
we're very concerned to see that the city has um cancelled,
um plans for a sobering center using the um arpa funds. Um,
we understand that there was no um takers nobody applied,
um responded in the request for proposal.
Um, we felt that this was actually predictable as the city
has um under this new Administration is building up a
public care infrastructure, um, and with the alternative
response, um in the past, um delegate agencies that said
that they did not have the capacity to do triage, uh,
silvering Center is another form of triage. So it is
understandable it it was predictable not understandable but
predictable, um that no 1 would feel
that they could apply for for those grants. Um, we think
that the Department of Public Health
um should now consider how to do this how to do a sobering
center project or an ad sobering Services, um to its
portfolio as we are.
part of envisioning a new way of caring in Chicago an in a
public care infrastructure that works for the wellness and
benefits of all of the residents of Chicago. Um, and thank
you Elder woman
Thank you, Miss Miller. Um, our second speaker is Lisa
Salazar.
Miss Salazar. Are you there? Good morning. Okay. Yes. Good
morning. Thank you chairwoman. Good morning. My name is
Lisa Salazar. I'm a community nurse who last met graduated
from the Masters in Social Work program at Northeastern as
part of my Voyage in becoming a social worker. I completed
an internship that focused on the treatment of trauma
campaign and it is through this internship that I have been
blessed with needing many wonderful people including my
friend Alex.
I'm at Alex an accident 1 day at a nursing home where he
was recovering from a foot foot fracture. He was 37 years
old when I met him he was my dad's roommate at the nursing
facility.
Where my dad was doing a short-term rehab after weeks of
visiting my dad daily. Alex approached me 1 day and
volunteered that he couldn't help but over here on my
social work classes and class related work that I would
attend on Zoom or the internet while we're while visiting
my dad at the facility. He thanked me for giving him hope
that there were quote people like me trying to help people
like him unquote finish quote and he continued our
conversation by adding that he was a returning citizen who
was struggling with addiction. He was eager to join the
fight for Chicago.
To receive quality Mental Health Services through his lived
experience, and he painfully as he painfully understood
what was not available.
As the days passed I would grab my dad Alex and myself some
french fries and our favorite High sea oranges strengths
from McDonald's. We would share these traits as we
discussed mental health care. He was young and full of
life. He was so cute and had an amazing smile, but his
struggles were very real and his substance use challenged
his ability to heal and Thrive both physically and mentally
despite desperate for drugs 1 night. He signed himself out
of the nursing home eager to continue working with me on
mental health. Advocacy. He offered me the unique
opportunity to witness his journey in the community this
often led to seeking treatment, but never finding any valid
interventions.
Last November at an only at age only 39 his eventuary red.
He lost his life tragically while I'm happy that Alex has
finally found peace. I pray for his friends and family
including his daughter who will for the rest of their lives
struggle with Alex's death. I hope 1 day I can drink a high
sea Orange from McDonald's and not feel
Not the all the devastating sorrow, I feel now when I
remember Alex and the moment we shared our favorite drinks.
in this experience
It is this experience and many similar experiences that
compelled me to continue. My advocacy working with
treatment, not drama. And also with the cph cdph mental
health board for our existing 5.
centers and our 2 expansion centers
Yes yesterday at our meeting. I asked the board members to
support me with making a public comment for our leaders
including the commissioner in attendance today unanimously
they agreed at as such I am here to uplift once again the
message.
That's all the time. Um, we had for your comment. Thank you
so much for sharing with us. Um, our next speaker is uh,
Zoe Lee.
Uh, good morning. I'm gonna start with this voicemail.
Good morning.
No.
you were trying to get through on on uh
over the long weekend, um in any event
there are 3 things you can do if you want money for demolish
property if we're just talking about a little bit of money
the Alderman's committee on finance and I'm surprised their
aldermen didn't mention that to you. Um, if this is a more
serious problem and I'd rather suspect it is
Gentleman 17th War David Moore and um as a lady that was
talking before me she spoke about mental health and since
I've been coming down here for a year.
My mental health is deteriorating because clearly I know
I'm not delusional. I know that the city of Chicago knocked
down my property. That was my that's generational wealth.
Due to all the laws being violated by the city of Chicago.
I I'm suffering from PTSD. I'm suffering from major
depression.
And if delusional was 1 for the city because clearly I'm
not being heard. I've been coming down here for a year.
Okay, the laws that the city are breaking and I have all of
the laws and I'm not getting any help.
The land that I have is here in the city of Chicago on the
south side.
There are Alderman that are here that are fighting for land
that's in Palestine.
I'm right here in the city of Chicago. I'm dealing with a
housing crisis right here in the city of Chicago. I'm not
getting any help. I have a federal lawsuit that needs
attention. But meanwhile the city can actually sit and talk
to your colleague and see if y'all can figure something out
because there's no ordinance how these people keep taking
our properties on the south side and the West Side there's
nothing happening the chairman of the housing and real
estate does not care. He cares more about the genocide
that's happening over in the Palestine and Israel, but
nothing that's happening right here in the city of Chicago.
So I'm asking for the public health cities my public health
committee meeting chairman, Rosana Rodriguez Shantez. I
need help I need help. So, please talk to your colleagues
talk to the building department talk to somebody so we can
get a meeting and we can figure out why the city
Keeps knocking down people's buildings without going through
the proper procedure. Thank you.
Thank you. Miss Lee. Our next speaker is Michael Young bae.
Good morning. Uh, I really don't even want to address the
uh the agenda.
Because there's a lot on there um far as Puerto Rico.
Far as like though it said things that go on with Israel
Etc and our people facing issues here. That's the lady
plead and cried on the phone about about mental health and
things like that. And um,
Me being a strong minded man.
I have endured a lot that a driver person crazy insane.
You know with the living conditions, you know in our
communities.
from our shelters to our homes privately owned homes, and
then we faced with
issues where
They taking these things away from us.
You know, it don't matter. Is this someone probably own
home. It don't matter. It's just someone else relative home
or building a property. It don't matter. Is it an
apartment?
It doesn't matter even if you in a shelter if you homeless.
It don't matter what level.
That our people are on we've been deprived of things.
You know, that's rightfully ours.
You have people that are homeless and they are receiving
emails.
from cha
saying they can't be on the voucher waiting list because
they're not homeless.
That's what's going around right now today.
And me being the first they did that with because I was
expressed my issue with this.
City Hall committees Etc. You know, they took me off to see
ha waiting list.
And took my HMS I number and I'm still and I was still
homeless in the shelter.
Because they were discriminating against my daughter and I
raised in Hell about it as a father should.
you
see certain issues need to be addressed.
What is ordinance and then these things for our people that
we see for everyone else?
But y'all complain about the crime.
Oh, this has been this many shootings. It's doing this up
North this going on this many burglaries this many
break-ins Etc.
That's the Overflow of the of what the people being
deprived of.
whether it education
which they claim they down there fighting for a spring
field whether it's work force development.
Though we're not being hired on these jobs.
you know, so
when is y'all going to address these issues?
Because if it hit it gonna hit your door as well.
peace
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is George,
Blakemore?
Blakemore
Play the race card.
Look up here right there.
Look look play the race card.
not
Black but it is identical black from that chairman.
She's black.
She can say she's Puerto Rican or whatever Puerto. Rico is
a territory.
That's a black lady there.
She don't want to be black.
When she gets ready to Ally she allies herself with the
Hispanic caucus.
You can see she's black.
identifiable black
And it's the mind she don't want to identify with black
people.
the black man
But this Sanctuary nest.
with her watches
He felt like he couldn't beat the big white man.
So he would have to Ally herself with the Hispanic and the
Puerto Rican couturist and that Saga I was here.
And he made a mistake.
a big mistake
we must Ally ourselves with us.
And you also know the light Puerto Ricans think they better
than the black ones.
It's Ray Circle in Puerto Rico. There's no such a people
that's called Puerto Rican our race.
That's a territory that the Spanish enslaved.
There's no such a race as Puerto Rican.
These are Hispanic people.
And African people and they're all mixed up.
But they chose to allow themselves with the Hispanic caucus
the Mexican caucus. They see race also.
And I I I never forget that experience. I in 1 of those
little schools over in the Puerto Rican area Puerto Rican
area these these mixed people that's a little boy when I
was serving or something. I said, what's going on brother
man? I'm not your brother mean.
I'm Puerto Rico I say look at your note.
Look at your nappy hair.
Look at your color. I'm not black he said.
He says he's Puerto Rico.
He didn't want to be black. I can see he was black.
That's why I was identifying with him.
Play the race card.
Hair watching that are Injustice to try to Ally themselves
with the Hispanic and good terms. It didn't work out. They
brought this Sanctuary D the house City.
to our city
and racism I play the race car here.
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Blackmore.
Uh, our last speaker is Mr. Sims.
so Public Health
or public health is safety.
I I got this notion that it doesn't apply to Black
Americans here in the city.
Kenneth Sandy November 17th, that's 2003. He was brazenly
murdered under the Howard l in Rogers Park Brian carry on
July 23 23rd 2020 was brazenly murdered in Rogers Park
James Junior 33, April 9th. 2024 was brazenly murdered in
Rogers Park. This is my neighborhood. However, let's speak
about public yesterday. I walked from here to 110.
And in the time that I did that I had good time to reflect
on everything that's been going on in my life.
So I've been homeless since July 15th 2021 in this agenda
today. They're talking about how homelessness prevents
violence or is prevents Danger.
My HMI number once again is 355061. I was
entered into what I what what Cornerstone Outreach
whatever it is and attacked once again by people who are
not American.
foreigners that founded
Wrong for me to be telling them that our situation is
circumstances. Not the same y'all not going through what
I'm going through.
Say that was threatening for me to be talking like that in
my country.
Um, I'm dealing with a case right now.
Which de Williams the manager over there at the what is
that? The master relations has an order protection against
me said that I'm stalking her for calling her out.
Y'all allowed it.
The number is 23 D 0795977. I'm still fighting for my small
child.
I was shot in my stomach.
August 24th
2023 that number for the case is jg3 96151. I would like
for the for you to be given to me so that I can hear myself
being shot because it's recorded. I was on the phone with
the cops when it happened. I want that JG 396151 so I can
relive that over and over again so they can give me more
purpose to move.
Y'all speak about public health?
I live in the north side of Chicago where countless black
people being murdered and it's intentional say it's not
Maria had to say it's not
it's purposeful.
But I live in a city where they purposely not protecting
black Americans y'all want us Running Scared.
So now that when we start speaking in the streets and
speaking the power and saying hey man, we not scary. We not
cowards y'all better stand up and stop shooting each other
and them guns somewhere else. Y'all better set up for these
women and these kids in these neighborhoods. Y'all better
come out these neighborhoods like them kids did when they
went in that Irish bar and robbed it.
That's safety that's being hindered.
This us black Americans being murdered killed and not
protected. No public health for us though.
Thank you, Mr. Sim. This concludes our uh public comment
period thank you to all the speakers that join us today. We
have not received any written comments, uh from the public
for this meeting.
Uh, our first item of business is the approval of the rule
45 report from our februari 28th meeting. Can I get a
motion to approve the februari 28 rule 45 report?
So moved by other 1 of Fuentes all of those in favor, uh
signify by saying I
opposed say nay
in the opinion of the chair the eyes have it. I want to
acknowledge Other Woman Gutierrez.
Um, and I went to acknowledge Elder woman mids who have
joined us this morning.
Uh, thank you for being here. Uh, we will now move on to
the next item today, which is subject matter hearing and
presentation from the the Chicago Department of Public
Health regarding Chicago's response to the opioid epidemic
and resources available to Chicago Ones. We're joined in
the Box by Chicago Department of Public Health
commissioner, Dr. Uh symbol eay as well as Matt Richards,
Dr. Denny Hua and Kate McMahon. Um, I wanted to open before
we go to our speakers.
um
Speaking a little bit about how important this subject
matter hearing is and um, how is so essential and
fundamental that us as Alderman who really know our
communities are aware of the resources that are available
but also of the dire situation that we're facing in terms
of opioid overdoses in the city of Chicago, um, many of you
might have seen a health alert that came out this weekend,
um with uh an increase
Number of opioid overdoses, uh that happened, uh between
Saturday, May 11th.
um and remain elevated, uh on Monday, May 13th, um as the
summer time approaches and we see more people being active
outside more social activity. Um, we are probably going to
see more increases in overdoses and we want to do
everything that we possibly can to prevent overdoses and
save lives. So I appreciate uh, everybody that is here
today to talk about this. I really hope that you ask
questions, um, uh that pertain to you and your community,
um, and that we can make the most out of the information
that we're going to get today. Uh, as always you can
definitely reach out to the committee and you can reach out
to cdph for more information, um and to support your
communities. Um, we might start now I'm going to pass it on
to Dr. E um to kick off the presentation
Thank you. Chairwoman Rodriguez Sanchez Vice chair Ramirez.
Um
And the health committee. I want to start with the word of
appreciation for giving us this opportunity.
To share with you the State of Affairs in the city of
Chicago with regards to the health of Chicago and um, this
is an information sharing meeting.
because we feel that there is an imperative for us to um
share with you not just the problems the solutions and then
to ask for your help and input in how to move forward.
Um, I am a Public Health Physician. I am also a black
woman.
And I have been given the responsibility of leading 1 of
the top 3 Public Health departments in the United States.
And so when I started in my role.
The first thing that I asked is what is the state of the
population in the city of Chicago?
And we looked at all the different populations and I want
to start with sharing with you what I discovered.
And why we're here before you today.
Next slide please.
Many people are aware that we have talked about life
expectancy for many years in the city of Chicago and the
gaps in life expectancy.
Life expectancy is how long people can expect to live?
and when we break that down by populations
We see huge gaps.
Many times we have discussed life expectancy at a point in
time.
if I looked at the life expectancy in 2022, that is good
information, but I was interested in the trends what has
been happening because past is prologue.
What we have seen over time helps us to prepare for the
future. And this is what we have seen over time. These are
very small numbers.
Um right now the data that we have for 2022.
Shows that in the city of Chicago their populations that
live as high as 80 and above.
And then there are populations that only expect to live as
high as 62 years.
but when we look back from 2010 from when this information
we started to gather this information. It is not only that
there is a gap. Is that the Gap there are declines for the
declines from 2010 to 2022.
And I will start with the west side.
On the average on the west side in 2022 people can expect
to leave us as much as 66 years.
But when you see those numbers there the dark blue there is
that between 2010 and 2022 even more years have been lost.
And there is that little dark blue spot. That's North
Londale where we have seen a loss of 4.9 years from what it
was in 2010. So it was not just low in 2010. It's getting
worse.
in the far south
we see an average life expectancy of 67.7.
But then when we look at the trend over time, we also see a
decline. We see a minus 4.6 years between 2010 and 2024.
On the South Side on the average people leave 66.3 years.
And there you see a mixed pattern.
And this is indicative that it is not a given that they are
declined in the same city. There are some places where
there is progress and there are some places where there is
Decline and the decline is not the same.
And then we move to the north side. And while we were
talking about decline in the west and the South Side in the
north side. We're actually seeing growth. So the yellow
there see shows that there is Improvement in life
expectancy in some populations in the city of Chicago.
So that is what I worked into and that's the trend that I
saw and I started to ask why.
And we looked at the Gap next slide, please.
So in 2010.
the gap between black the black population of Chicago r
large
compared to the rest of the city was about 8.4 years and
you will see over that time that there is the Blue Line.
You see that that is non-black people. There is a slight
upward incline in life expectancy. So for non-black people
in the city of Chicago there seems to be an improvement.
however for black folks that's the bottom line you will see
that the trend started out and then things started to get
worse and this is even before Co,
So this is not just coid related.
Commissioner. Can you can you just stop for a second? Can I
have silence in the chambers? We really want to be able to
can I have silence in the chambers while we um, listen to
the presentation because this is very important information
for us and our communities and we want to make sure that we
understand if you cannot.
Stay silent during the presentation. I'm going to have to
ask you to leave.
Thank you.
um, again Our intention here is not just to admire the
problem, but we wanted to show you um why we are developing
the solutions that we are so Gap expanded from 8.4 years to
11 from point 4 years.
And then I wondered is this just happening in Chicago? What
is the rest of the of the country? Um experiencing? And yes
in the rest of the country there are gaps.
But what we notice is that the Gap in life expectancy in
Chicago is double.
the rest of the new of the United States
so in Chicago
the Gap in life expectancy is 11.4 years while in the
United States on the average. The Gap is 5.7 years.
And so this is what created a sense of urgency for us for
us to rethink our strategies.
Again, we went from the macro to the micro.
And then we took another look at what about other big
cities the situation in Chicago, is it similar? Is it
different?
We've looked at the trends over the years we've compared
with the US average and now we thought to compare with New
York City as you all know, I came from New York and this is
what we saw. And the reason we use New York is in terms of
demographics Chicago and New York are very similar the
proportion of black population in both cities are similar.
And what did we see here New York is in blue?
Chicago is in red
in New York black people live up to the age of 80
in Chicago
We are down in the 70s overall or even as low as 60.
and
The Gap in Chicago and the life expectancy in Chicago is
much lower not just than the US average, but than in in in,
New York.
So we want to do something about this.
And then we started to look at why why are we seeing this
Gap in Chicago? And what can we do different?
There are 5 major drivers that we see the number 1 cause of
the Gap in life expectancy is chronic disease.
And hopefully at a later time, we will be able to dive into
that because chronic disease is a lifespan especially heart
disease.
That is responsible for as much as 5 years. Why black folks
are dying early?
And then firearm related and homicide other people have
talked about why that is a problem. And there is a Citywide
plan to address that so we will not talk about that today.
The next driver is opioid crisis. That's the number 3
reason why black Chicago wants a dying early.
and
We decided.
And this is the breakdown of the primary drivers opioid
overdose is 1 of the top 3.
And then we wanted to dive a little deeper. Why are we not
talking about chronic disease today? Why are we not talking
about firearm? Why are we focusing on opioid overdose? This
is the reason why
the red there
Is heart disease?
It is a problem, but it is getting better. You will see
that the red line seems to be going down. So when we're
making progress there.
The Gray Line is homicide.
Again, not good.
But tending in the right direction.
But when you look at the Blue Line That's opioid.
It started low and it's accelerating at an alarming pace.
And this is why we wanted to start from here.
Um, it is the 1 factors.
And that's why we're here and I want to conclude before I
pass on to my colleagues that we understand that the issue
here is not just about the individual or poor decisions or
a failure in their moral. Um compass.
Because we started to look at what are the social conditions
conditions in the black community relative to non-black
communities that may be accounting for the differences.
We're seeing
commissioner, excuse me for a second I need
quiet in the chamber so that we can take in this
information. If you cannot be quiet and taking the
information that we really believe that is really important
for us and for our communities.
Please leave.
Or I will have to ask for you to be escorted out.
We are trying to listen to this information. I am really
interested.
My colleagues are very interested. So let's just be silent
so that we can listen.
Thank you.
Go ahead, right.
Um My Hope Is that do we do we need to clear the chambers?
I I really need quiet in this chamber so that we can
proceed with the hearing.
Thank you. We are not taking public comment. The public
comment is over now, and I want to be able to listen to the
speakers. Thank you.
Go ahead commissioner.
We want to acknowledge that this is a complex problem.
And we want to acknowledge that it is multi-layered.
and
Show the full breadth of the issues we're dealing with.
Um, so we started looking at youth depression. Is it
because of depression?
We see that know the rates of depression among black
population is not any higher than the rest of the city.
Is it because of loneliness?
And that also didn't emerge as the major driver.
Did we see that it was because people didn't feel as part
of the neighborhood know that was not the problem either.
Serious psychological distress mental health is a problem
with large, but we didn't see that black folks had a higher
level of psychological distress compared to the rest of the
population. So what was it that we saw?
We saw that in the same places where we are seeing opioid
overdose. We are also seeing a high level of Youth suicide.
And so in the black community the rate of suicide.
Is 32% higher? So we see that opioid overdose goes side by
side with suicide attempts. We also see that prescription
use was also part of the problem. Excuse me, again
commissioner sergeant of arms. Can you please escort out?
Uh, the people who are interrupting this hearing?
Thank you.
so
we see that there are many Associated issues that we need
to be dealing with including unmet Mental Health Care need
neighborhood safety. And then the 1 that I really want to
highlight is on employment.
And when you see on employment 117% higher in the black
community compared to the rest of the city and then living
under the poverty line. So where these things exist we see
higher rates of opioid overdose. So we want to acknowledge
that this is a multifaceted problem that is primarily
driven by the social conditions living on that the poverty
line being unemployed and then having unmet mental health
needs and so I am going to be passing it over to Dr. W who
is a medical director for the office of substance use, uh
to give you some more
Information about what we found about opioid overdose
problem and how we will be solving it.
Thank you commissioner. Uh, good morning. Uh, my name is
meow Johnny Hua. I'm the medical director for Behavioral
Health at the Chicago Department of Public Health. Um, it
is my pleasure to talk to you today about um, understanding
the opioid overdose problem. So, um,
first of all, I would like to put into context the opioid
overdose epidemic and light of national Trends. So as you
can see the top line that keeps spiking up as well as the
purple line that goes up with it is uh death related to any
opioid overdoses, uh, as well as death related to synthetic
opioids. So, um, generally our framework for understanding
the current phase of the opioid overdose epidemic is that
we are in the third wave of uh, overdoses the first uh was
driven by prescription opioids. So we have to bear in mind
as Dr. Eigi mentioned that this is not a failure of moral
compass. This is a failure of our system to properly
regulate synthetic, uh, um, pharmaceutical prescription
opioids that um brought large numbers of Americans onto the
addiction Spectrum. Um, the second wave was driven by um,
uh heroin use once people start
Start a transitioning from prescription opioids to um
heroin. Um, and now there is a third wave which uh is
starting in 2013, approximately we see the spike and this
continues to actually accelerate during the co pandemic in
which um, illicitly manufactured fentanyl primarily has um
incurred large numbers of deaths. These are highly potent,
um, uh synthetic opioids, um, fentanyl is 50 times more
potent than morphine or heroin. Um, so this is the uh, a
main, uh piece of the problem that we are tackling with
Um, so similar Trends as we can see, uh in Chicago now,
this is uh, Chicago, um, uh specific opioid related
overdose fatality Trends, you can see as well that in 2019.
Um, the number of uh of death due to opioid overdose has
spiked, um reaching a peak in uh, 2021 at uh, 1,441, uh
fatalities. Um, the trend is uh, stabilizing somewhat, um,
maybe looking at a decreasing over the past couple of years
as we um, swing out of the pandemic but um, there's no you
know sitting there's no time to congratulate ourselves yet.
We are at a historic.
Orrick high and continue to be in terms of a period related
overdose fatalities and I can tell you that around 90% of
all these fatalities test positive for Fentanyl.
Um, so, you know oftentimes traffic fatalities homicides,
uh, Gap more, uh, popular attention and media attention.
But um, we like to elevate this piece of statistic that um
fatalities due to opioid overdoses are higher than uh,
fatalities. Joh homicides and traffic accidents combined.
And again, um, the most impacted people this is uh problem
that uh affects, um, different Chicago wins
disproportionately. So, um in terms of the breakdown and
race ethnicity of who is most impacted. Um,
Non-hispanic black Chicagoans make up 65% of all oh opioid
overdose fatalities. Um men, uh, make up a vast majority at
78% that's in the middle pie chart, um, and people between
the ages of 45 and 64 make up around half a little bit more
than half of all fatalities. That's the um pie chart to the
um, right hand side where uh, it's a yellow and the red
combined. So those are the 45 to 64 age groups.
and if we zoom into the geographic, um ramifications and
clustering of these fatalities, we can see that every
community in Chicago has had an opioid related, uh,
overdose EMS response. And this has been the trend in uh,
the past 3 years. However, the West Side Community are by
far the most impacted so last year in 2023 34% of um, all
opioid related overdose EMS responses. So this is a number
that combines both fatal and non-fatal overdoses, um of
all, uh, 34% of all these overdoses, um Citywide occurred
in only 5 Westside Community areas, and that's Austin East
Garfield Park humbled Park North Londale and West Garfield
Park.
So our office also works with the Chicago Fire Department
to obtain EMS response data and readily analyze them, um at
a monthly basis and share this information out with our
Westside Community Partners as well as Southside Community
Partners, but um, we do this over the entire year as well.
So in 2023, if you zoom in on these 5 West Side
neighborhoods, there are also uh a number of hotspots that
won't list them. But um, as you can see the red regions on
the map, um outline where these hotspots are, um, and
Citywide as well as the west side in particular we see that
um, uh plurality of overdoses, um occur,
in in public spaces, um, and on the west side that is
actually a majority, uh of overdoses are on Street streets
and Roads. Um, and only a minority, uh are in private
residences and about 7% are on public transit.
so, um that summarizes, um, the data portion of um, the
overdose epidemic in Chicago, um, as we currently
understand it, I will pass the mic on to uh, my colleague
to discuss some of the Innovative programming from our
office to address this issue.
Thank you so much. Uh before we go to Matt. I wanted to
acknowledge, uh chairman Irving and chairman and vice, uh,
mayor Bernett, uh that have joined us this morning. Uh, go
go ahead Matt.
Uh good uh morning. Thank you chairwoman. Thank you Vice
chairwoman. Uh Matt Richards. I'm the Deputy Commissioner
of Behavioral Health at the health department. It's a
pleasure to be with you this morning. Um public health is
not just or even primarily about data it's about action and
so I'm going to be talking about action, uh in this part of
our presentation.
So there are 3 core sets of actions that we are focusing on
but we're going to be further accelerating these actions,
uh, this summer, uh, summer is where we see significant
increases, um in our overdose problem in the city of
Chicago, uh, the first category of actions is related to n
n lockone distribution. This is a medication that reverses
somebody who is experiencing a drug overdose. Think about
it as the drug overdose equivalent of when you use an AED
machine for somebody that's having a heart attack right
when you reverse somebody with an AED machine. It saves
their life in the moment doesn't cure their heart disease.
It doesn't cure their stroke right these medications do the
same thing. They save somebody's life in the moment. They
do not resolve or treat somebody's substance use disorder.
So that's where treatment becomes really important which is
the next stream of work. I'm going to describe is the
different treatment programs, uh that we fund that we make
available. This is where partnership with aldermanic
Leaders with Community leaders is critical we need
Need people to access these these resources in order to
save lives and then we're going to be talking about harm
reduction education.
So this is making available tools that we have that can
reduce harms associated with substance use, uh, and and and
save people's lives on the next slide. What you're going to
see is access points all around the city of Chicago where
we make no locks on available for free. So this is a
medication that if somebody's having a a drug overdose you
could admit
Administrate to um, and and it will save their life.
Sometimes people require multiple doses at this point. You
can see we have access sites around the entire city of
Chicago all 81 public libraries. We have them at all cdph
clinics dfss service centers. I wanted to highlight uh for
for the Alders in the room at this point. I think we're
partnering with 12 Alder manic offices, but there's a
critical opportunity for every Alder that wants to lead on
this we will train your staff. We will come to your office.
You can invite community members. We will get you free
Narcan free test strips anything that you want and that you
need we will get to you for free. Um, so this is an
opportunity same thing for Community organizations. We've
distributed over 44,000 units of Narcan.
In the first 2 years of this program. Um, the the west side
is our greatest area of focus, uh, We've distributed 6
units of Narcan just through our Public Library partnership
on the west side of Chicago.
If you go to the the next slide here, we also have a new
program that we're in the process of scaling. These are
public health vending machines. So these are machines that
we we started placing 5 of them. Um, we we have about 6
months of data now and it the machines are doing what they
want them to do, uh residents can access supplies for free
out of these machines free Narcan free test strips, um free
hygiene and basic needs Supply kits and what we're most
encouraged by is that 20% of people that
Access these machines said they had experienced a drug
overdose themselves and 45% of people said they had seen
somebody else have a drug overdose. Those are the people we
want to get these supplies because they are most likely to
be close to a drug overdose event where a life can be
saved.
We're going to be scaling these machines all across the
city. We have 5 now we've learned what we need to learn now
is action more action more action. That is our Focus. Uh,
our particular Focus will be south side and west side
because we want to reverse the documented Trends
particularly in Black communities, and that's what we'll be
holding ourselves accountable to
The next slide this is really important. Um, these are uh,
we talked about medication assisted recovery. These are FDA
approved medications that a person with a substance use
disorder can take and they reduce the risk of drug overdose
40 to 60%
Uh, they also address withdrawal symptoms or craving for
substances. If somebody has opioid use disorder. We also
have meds for alcohol use disorder, uh, what we see around
the United States though is that these medications are
dramatically under prescribed particularly to Black
Americans and so our focus is on increasing the uptick of
these medications. Uh, we are doing a better job. I will
say in the city than nationally and I'll show you that data
in a minute, but our focus is getting these the uptake of
this medication in the communities that most need to
benefit from it because if folks are on these meds, they're
much less likely.
Um to have uh to experience a drug overdose.
uh, something really critical that happened during the co
pandemic is we were able to start prescribing these meds
over the phone or through a Telehealth encounter rather
than somebody going into an office and we believe we have
the largest if I if not 1 of the largest programs in the
country where we have prescribed these meds over the phone
or through tele health and what we have found we've
connected over 600 people to these meds during the
pandemic, uh through tele Health prescribing, uh, they are
free. You can call the Illinois opioid helpline. You can
request the mar now program, um and residents can get
started on these meds the same day. This is another
opportunity for aldermanic leadership. We will get you
posters for this in your office. We will post them around
the neighborhood any Resident that you know that you think
needs that you're concerned about we can help them get
started on these meds and get them into treatment.
If you look on the next slide remember what I said that the
pattern that we've seen in the United States is that people
who would most benefit from these meds are often not
getting them. This shows you by ZIP code the areas where we
have the highest uptake of the meds. So right now the
highest uptake for us is basically right where we want it.
It's Westside mids Southside. We need to get those numbers
up. Uh, right now we have uh, in 2023, uh, you see we have
245 folks who've been prescribed these meds in 2000.
22 we had 128 that were prescribed these meds. We want those
numbers to get much higher. Um because if folks are on
these medications, it can support them in getting into a
long-term recovery reduce risk of drug overdose reduced,
uh, cravings for substances, uh, and it can be part part of
a long-term, uh recovery process.
Um, another thing that we are doing is we uh every day in
the city of Chicago we have approximately 50 people that
experienced a drug overdose and they are transported to an
emergency department by the uh, Chicago Fire Department.
What we have done is we have stood up a new program during
the pandemic where we do we try to follow up with and
locate any person that has been transported for a drug
overdose to try to get them make sure they have Narcan
offer them the medication assisted treatment that I
described we can help them with basic needs that are unmet
um, try to link them into longer term treatment if that's
something that they want. Uh, this is a program we've been
doing for approximately 18 months. We've learned a lot. Um,
and we're in the process of making some adjustments so that
we can increase the rate of connecting to people that have
experienced a drug overdose in the prior 1 to 3 days
because we know the greatest risk of future death from
overdose is prior overdose.
So that's the reason why we are focused on this program.
um 1 of the things that we have worked on for a number of
years and I have to also give credit to the Chicago Police
Department who has worked to uh, reform their practices in
this area and partnership with us is that because substance
use disorders are health conditions. Uh, it is best that
people, uh, who have personal use amounts of substances on
their person, uh be connected to treatment rather than
entering, um the court system or the jail system and we
have 1 of the largest programs in the country that does
this over 2,000 Chicagoans, uh have been diverted into
treatment instead of being arrested for having personal use
amounts of substances. And you see on the screen some of
the results, which is that over half of people have been
remained engaged in treatment after 30 days people
frequently ask us about um, the public safety impact of
this intervention and we actually there's updated data that
we have that I we should have updated on this slide. I
apologize for that. There's actually a 72% reduct.
And rearrest rate for people who are diverted into
treatment through this program. So basically what that's
telling us is that when people who have substance use
challenges get connected to treatment they're less likely
to go back. They're less likely to uh, get arrested again
for any for any reason not just substance related reasons,
uh, because we're addressing their core underlying need
Um, another thing that we're doing in Dr. Eay referenced,
this is something that our our partners all around the city
of told us is that it is helpful for them to get community
level Maps. Uh, we can do Word level Maps as well that
basically show where are we seeing overdoses? What time of
day what day of the week and then what we're doing is we're
mapping that against uh, the Staffing data from our
Community Partners and from our city employees to see can
we uh canvas these areas with Narcan. Can we make sure that
our street Outreach workers are going out there and trying
to engage folks and get them started, uh in treatment
getting getting them on medication assisted recovery. Um,
so we're really trying to be more hyperlocal here with
these Maps. Uh, it's not really helpful to just see a map
without intersections or without streets right these these
help us actually go where people are um, and again, this is
an opportunity where it you know, Alders know their
neighborhoods better than anyone else if if
if you have particular areas where you're aware that we're
seeing overdoses, where where you would like to do some
planning around what we can do you can always reach out to
our team and we will we will uh partner with you and your
staff to think about what we can do together to address
that.
Um harm reduction education is really really critical. Uh,
we offer free trainings every month that are open to the
public they're online. So any person can come and take the
harm reduction training with us, it's free. We do it via.
Um, we do it via Zoom. Um, so anyone in your community that
wants to get trained on how to use Narcan how to use harm
reduction. We they can join us at that link. Um, we also
offer free trainings as I said to community members. So if
you're a community based organization, if you're a church,
if you're a synagogue, if you're an older manik office, you
can ask us to come out and we will do training for you in
partnership with you. We will leave you free supplies. Um,
we also have uh an opportunity for community members to
come and help us build test kits. Uh, so this is an example
of a group of high school students that came.
And they built test kits we will be giving every altar
today in a a test kit so you can see what's in these kits.
Uh, and and uh, we just need help building them because we
distribute thousands of them every month. And so we invite
volunteers to help us do that.
Um, I'm going to pass it back to my colleague Dr. Hua who's
going to talk about, uh, the spikes that we've been seeing,
um over the last week or 2.
Thank you. So, um, this is not a problem that we can kind of
distantly just opine about this is a problem that is
happening right now. And we need your support to address it
right now. So we uh, the the city of Chicago is part of a
federal alert Network that sends out Spike alerts whenever
the level of opioid overdoses crosses a certain threshold
and that threshold is set to be the average of the previous
year. So over this past weekend, we went from Orange alert
that was spiked about, you know, 2 weeks ago, uh on May 4th
to a red alert on May 12th, um, which roughly equates to
over 50, um overdoses in the 24-hour period. Um, so this is
a signal that we are entering the summer Peak that we see
seasonally every year. Um, and this is this is a cue that
we need to get our act together and get moving now.
So this is the seasonal Trend that I was alluding to and
we've all mentioned several times. So as you see over the
May June July August period overdoses do tend to Peak uh,
something else that you see this is the EMS responses
broken down by month over the past 3 years. Um, if you
follow that Trend towards the till end, uh of 2023 you see
that it's actually sloping downwards, right? So,
So what we want to see is overall those Peaks to also
continue to slope downwards overall and not continue to
spike.
So our summer Target is that in all 5 Westside
neighborhoods. Every household should have Narcan, uh,
Narcan is now available, um through cdph and all the public
libraries and in uh over a dozen Elder manic offices. So it
we have this on stock we can help you distribute it we can
work with you to um, perform harm reduction training for
your Wards. Uh, we want the West Side neighborhoods in
particular that uh experience as a high density of these
overdoses to um, be saturated oversaturated with Narcan,
uh, in addition every person should be aware of marnow the
Illinois opioid helpline, which can connect an individual
to uh medications for opioid use disorder for free. Um, so
these are 2 resources that we know works we have readily
available that we want all of your constituents to know
about and utilize.
Um, and so overall the summer strategy is going to include
Narcan distribution and Drug checking. So these Fentanyl
and xylazine test kits. We also distribute from our office
and coordinate community members to build they help people
who use drugs to be able to engage, um with the drug Supply
in a way that protects themselves. So, um, you can use this
to determine whether uh, whatever you have is contaminated
with uh, xylazine or fentanyl in the recommendation is to
throw it out rather than consume that um that has to be
interwoven with overdose education and connection to
treatment because Narcan reverses an overdose. It does not
prevent an overdose from happening and it's the uh
connection to treatment the access to medications for
opioid use disorder achieving that um level of protection
study protection with those medications and your
bloodstream that prevents
And overdose from occurring again in the future. Um
I believe that is our last slide. Um we
Yeah.
So we want to thank you very much for your attention and I
will ask today is how can we best share not can information
and related services with your ward. We have all these
Solutions available. How can we better reach those who need
it? You know, your community is better than anyone. Where
can we do better? How can we get these resources into the
hands of those that need it? This is 1 area where we do
have resources.
We have this supplies where there is no shortage we can get
as many as you give you as many as you want. But how do we
get it to people who need it and that's that's our ask
today. Excuse me, sir.
Excuse me. If you cannot be quiet, please. I need you to
leave the chambers. Thank you.
I got you in front.
To make a day I'm saying.
Go to the neighborhood.
If you want to know the solution go to the neighborhood,
sir. I'm going to ask you to leave now.
Thank you.
um
Thank you so much commissioner. Thank you so much.
Everybody on cbps. I got you. Um, uh for this presentation
it is invaluable for us. Um, I want to start by saying that
my office is 1 of the 12 offices that have been trained we
have had to use Narcan before in our office and we are
trying to make it as accessible and available for our
communities as we can. It also presents an organizing
opportunity for us. There's a lot of people in our
communities that deeply care about their neighbors and want
to be involved in initiatives to be able to make this
resources accessible. And if the resources are there, what
we need is to organize our communities to make sure that we
can get them to the people that need them the most so I do
want to invite all my colleagues to get in touch with cdph
get your office trained, um and and and get to work trying
to organize initiatives in your community to make sure that
we make this precious resources.
Available. Um, I have a couple of questions that I wanted
to start with. Um,
uh, can you talk a little bit about the transport? You said
that you had um,
A program that deals with over those transports. Can you
talk about who does the follow-up for that? Um and how we
can get more information about uh outcomes.
Uh, yes, thank you chairwoman Matt Richards FDA
commissioner for behalf. So this is a program where it's a
partnership between the Chicago fire department and
community outreach intervention project, which is um, a
harm reduction organization. That's part of the University
of Illinois, Chicago.
And so we have paramedics from the fire department. And
then we have peer Recovery Specialists from UIC who they
get a list of patients who've we've transported for a drug
overdose in the fire, uh prior 1 to 3 days. The pilot is
focused on the west side of Chicago. So we look at just
Westside overdoses. And then we try to locate those
individuals, uh, the following day in the community.
To try to engage the person to see can we get them started
on can we at least get them Narcan? Uh, are they interested
in starting treatment? Are they interested in starting
those medications?
Thank you. Um, can you talk about the expansion for the
vending machines? You did say that it was now the face
where you wanted to make them available. Are there like
concrete plans for like goals of how many vending machines
you want? We want to have around the city and by when
I can speak to that we've put in a request to the um, the
Senator's office as part of the federal earmarks, uh to put
vending machine in every Ward, um in Chicago. So, um, we're
hopeful that we can get some support for that. But that's
the plan to scale it up to every Ward, um in the city
that's wonderful news, and I'm sure that um Alderman would
definitely welcome that um, and with that I assume that we
we would also get information on materials so that we can
make sure that all the community knows what that is how to
use it.
Okay, thank you. Um
I'm going to um, ask 1 last question and pass it on to my
colleagues. Um, we had plans for a sobering center. And I
know that it has been um on the media, uh that we are not
that we were no longer going to use the arpa funding for um
to establish a sobering center, but I know that cdph did
have a plan so I wanted to give you an opportunity to talk
a little bit about that.
Uh, yes, thank you. Chairwoman Matt Richards Deputy
Commissioner for Behavioral Health. So, uh, we released an
RFP to try to identify, uh Community partner to um
Implement sobering center. So bring Center is basically a
pace where people who are acutely intoxicated. Um, Can
safely recover in lie of going to an emergency department
in lieu of uh going to
But please lock up if there was you know questions related
to the person uh to criminal activity. Um, and we we did
not get any successful respondents. We did not get anyone
who applied and so what we did was we then engaged people
who were interested in applying and had contacted us about
the opportunity and basically what we found is what we
found in a few other cities that have done so bring
initially is that basically it's a new type of program. Um,
and uh, folks felt, uh, um concerned about their ability to
implement it on the RFP timeline.
And so we made the decision because all our arpa funds need
to be obligated by the end of this year that it would be
better for those funds. We don't want any funds to go on
spent. Um is to continue to move forward with engaging Our
Community Partners around sobering Services. Um, and if we
uh choose to implement a sobering center, we will just pay
for it on a different funding source rather than arpa.
Thank you for that. I have uh chairman Irving followed by
chairwoman myth.
Thank you. Uh, thank you madam. Chair, uh, first off. I I
just really want to thank um, thank you in the committee
for bringing this item forward. Uh, I think is extremely
important. Um, and uh timely uh for for this particular
conversation also want to thank uh IGA staff for bringing
this to our attention for that you all were doing this
today, um 1 thing that I that I you talked about earlier
commissioner, and again, thank you and and the team at cdph
for the work that you all are doing on this, um, if you had
to draw a
A person um that is uh, highly likely to find themselves in
this situation.
Number 1 what would that person statistically be and what
other?
Programmatic help or resources. Can we help to provide
individuals that are that we find that are highly likely to
be uh, either a um a
Overdose victim or before they even take their first blow
what?
What does that look like and what can we do to help that
individual before they get started down this path?
Um
Thank you for that question. Um.
so if we look at fatalities those who are dying, um, it
will be someone in their 40s between age 40 to 60 is what
we're seeing. So it's not the young people.
It will be someone who is unemployed.
It will be someone who may have an underlying Med mental
health issue that is untreated. They may not know that they
have it.
Um, it will be someone who is living below the poverty
line.
It will be someone who either had a prescription opioid use
in the past.
And has not received support or treatment for that.
and then has transitioned to um, a synthetic, um medication
that is now even more potent and did not realize so those
are some of the characteristics that we have seen to be
Associated, um with
fatalities, uh
Based on the data that we have and my colleagues can add
more.
Correct. So some of the uh, Associated risk factors. So, um
being Justice involved increases your risk of Overdose by
40 to 100 times. So this is why the narcotics arrest
diversion program is so important to divert people who need
treatment away from incarceration because that generally
tends to increase their risk of overdosing afterwards, um,
being homeless increases your risk of Overdose select Dr. I
said a lot of the socioeconomic vulnerability risk factors
are tightly correlated. Um, and um, I think in terms of
addressing the question about, uh, what what additional
resources can we provide is is that your question in in so
far as what can we do differently? Well you not only that
but so for example, if we if we look at all the stats that
you talked about and we go to let's say West Garfield for
example, which is probably the hottest of hot spots in in
the city of Chicago and directly link and provide services
to those in
individuals that statistically are more prone to either be
using uh, heroin or or some other opioid or you know in
that predicament so that we could
Treat them, you know again, you know, we don't want to deal
with people that are interviewing we want to be interview
have an intervention but we want to do some prevention. Um
I think is
It's it's critical because it looks like we have the data
right and I think if we have the data.
Why why not focus?
In that community on individuals that meet that threshold
or meet those certain statistical guidelines begin to
process before we have to send the ambulance to you know,
revive them or vary absolutely and um, uh, I think
addressing some of those co-occurring social determinants
of health is the furthest Upstream right making sure those
neighborhoods are revitalized making sure people are um,
getting good decent education and employment rather than
um, living in a condition of economic, uh distress, um, but
in addition, uh, some a key point that I do want to
highlight is that the treatments that we're offering
through more now, they are also preventive right? Because
if someone does have a substance use disorder, um, once
they're on treatment that protects them from overdosing
because that medication is actually competitively
inhibiting, uh, illicit fentanyl from uh, activating those
uh, uh responses that causes an individual to not breathe.
Them to to uh die from that so so getting someone who hasn't
even overdosed but may have a substance use issue. Um on to
treatment is also preventive. Um, and then finally, I do
want to say that, you know, there are um at state level
there have been legislation passed to enhance, um,
education evidence-based education around substance use,
um, we know from our evidence that Decades of abstinence
only education just like with sex ed sex education absence
only does not provide the kind of toolkit to inform, uh
adolescence about what are the Harms.
you know of um
of some of their uh, behaviors around both, um sexual
intercourse and similarly in this case around substance
use. So, um, we are also working with Chicago public
schools to um, tailor our education and harm reduction
services in the school setting.
Um, thank you. Uh, thank you for that. Um, secondly you
talked about the vending machines, and I know that there's
a vending machine at the legal Library, um at the know, I'm
not legler. I mean at the 10 South kids in East Garfield
Park, however, uh,
West Garfield the Pulaski quarter there is like, you know
lights up like a Christmas tree, um on your on your maps
and what are we doing number 1 to bring a vending? Uh,
we've got I think 3
public places there 1 would be the Green Line stop at Lake
in Pulaski. The second would be the legal Library, uh,
right in the middle of near Madison and Pulaski and then
the Blue Line stop at Congress and Pulaski to bring that
vending, uh activity to those particular locations because
that definitely is
It is the hottest of hot spots that I know of in the city
of Chicago number 1 number 2. Um, there's a stigmatism and
and we have had
going back
40 years
Uh methadone treatment in the Madison Pulaski Corridor that
has definitely had a negative stigmatism attached to it.
Um, that is now that is that is really causing residents to
be resistant to treatment, uh location of treatment in the
community.
Um, what are we doing to manage? Uh, the methadone programs
and what what I I'll just say, uh, you know regulations are
are in place to you know, try to help that along. Um, and I
it's it's clear that that we cannot afford to bury our
heads in the sand on this issue, um that we have to
Act we have to act.
Proactively on this but what can we do to help people
understand today's treatment options versus yesterday
Year's treatment options and how much better they are
versus the methadone and while we still utilizing methadone
if we have the better treatment in the um, I forget the
beautural. Is it beer brew for noren, uh as a better
alternative?
I will start with just
addressing stick
things live in the shadow
because of stigma and so people do not want to seek help
because of the perception that addiction is a moral
failure.
So when people live in poverty and constantly buffeted by
social stressors, they're looking for Relief. They're
looking for how to numb the pain so
There are certain factors that make it harder. Uh, and we
want folks to not feel ashamed.
And not be afraid to ask for help. Let me let me let me
stop you. It's not that not that component. It's the
component of the community feeling.
that
these facilities will are our hindrance and not necessarily
a help to the community because of what's transpired
around, you know method. I had a methodone clinic in the
4100 Block of Madison that
It it is it just does not and my I don't know what it does.
It doesn't it just seems to be generating more addicts.
From what I see, right? How do we I mean, how do we get,
you know, not the stigmatism on the individual using but
the stigmatism and the community about how do we help
people use it and I think that's the that's the critical
component that that we that we really have to address.
Yeah. Hey, thank you for the um question Alderman. I think
um
There's an interconnection I think between stigma about
methadone.
And stigma about substance use disorders. Um, I think 1 of
the things that historically we've seen is sometimes quote
unquote methadone clinics. The only thing that they offer
is methadone, they don't offer like holistic treatment
services. Um, uh, and I think what we're really advocating
for for the medication assisted treatment is that every
patient is getting is getting assessed and then we make a
recommendation about what medication is most appropriate
for them for people with mild to moderate dependents.
Usually buprenorphine is a better option, but for people
that are on a really severe trajectory sometimes actually
methadone is preferred init
Ally, um, but but I think um, uh, there's a lot of
misinformation about methadone and methadone has been um,
very uh restricted by the DEA at the federal level, um, and
so what we saw during coid was some of those restrictions
were pulled back a little bit so we can actually make a
determination about which medication is a is is best for
each person, but I think the other thing is treatment is
not just medication treatment. We know evidence-based
treatment includes recovery Community being in community
with other people who are in recovery, it means mental
health treatment 50% of people with a substance use
disorder have a mental health diagnosis. It means meds it
it means Psychotherapy physical exercise. We know helps
stabilize some of the chemicals in the brain, um that are
impacted by people who have substance use disorders. So I
think when we're talking to community members, um about
concerns about methadone clinics,
The the thing that I have heard from residents is they
sometimes wonder um about whether uh, folks are being
offered the full range of things that they need and that
the underlying problem is being addressed. Does that begin
to address your concern? Yeah, and I I I I totally get what
you're saying and do we uh, do we monitor or work with
these programs to understand what they're doing? Uh, I mean
are these the new peel meals or are are they really, um,
you know doing all
All the work that needs to go into helping a person, um,
you know change their lives.
um
I will start with an understanding of substance use
disorder.
and that
that that
concept of Peel meal like someone has a disorder. Um, the
example that we use is if you have high blood pressure for
instance, you need medication to help you control it. Now
that medication does not cure high blood pressure it it
just reduces the likelihood of complications. So these
medications do not care the substance use disorder they
help to prevent overdose by stabilizing, you know, um, how
these substances are processed in the body so that I think
is 1 area where people like, oh these people come here you
give them medication but they're still addicted, you know,
that kind of sense, uh that just helping to clarify that
that's what these things do, uh that you can I'll give an
example. My mother has had high blood pressure from 25.
She's 86 now. She hasn't died yet. She is not killed from
high blood pressure. She takes appeal every day, but she's
not dead.
you know, so how do we help those who have this disorder
manage their condition get them connected to all the
support that they need, but we know that long-term recovery
needs Community Support. All the medication in the world is
not sufficient without some community support and some
social support, but they are intermediary steps to at least
stop people from dying in the moment. So they have
opportunities to get supported and get some but without
Community Support is just very hard for people to stabilize
and those are some of the the
the hope that we have that has more people understand what
this is and what the drivers are that they may be more
opportunities for Community Support. So people can get
connected to treatment and the breadth of services.
Otherwise people are just so ashamed that they don't want
to come and this treatment services are not in themselves
sufficient to to stop the entire problem, but they first
unnecessary step in preventing people from dying Young.
And and can I just add 1 more thing? So, um, I think you
know as you stated there's a difference between some of the
newer medications buprenorphine and methadone. Um, and
buprenorphine is readily accessible more so than methadone
is but um buprenorphine is also more expensive particularly
the injections, they're currently are 2 types of injectable
buprenorphine. So it's 1 injection that lasts for a month
so you can imagine that this can actually protect an
individual
You know against overdose more potently if they miss a dose
or if you know, then that injection is there to protect
them at least for that for the duration of that month. It's
not a self injection like insulin, right? So there are
still barriers to access but it's a Once once a month visit
that they have to make to their provider and and that helps
regulate, you know, they also have a touch point. It's not
just that your your home, you know, taking your medication
whether whether it's methadone or buprenorphine or the
injection and uh, like there's still going in to their uh,
clinic and and getting that touch touch point. And also I
think substance use treatment has had to shift
philosophically quite a bit over the past few decades. It
used to be and it continues to probably be the case that
many substance use providers, um, and and treatment
Specialists have their own stigma, right and they they
transmit that stigma to their um, clients and their
patients. Um, and and and that kind of just uh, you know,
Escalates and I think it also um seeps into the community
and into people's consciousnesses and various ways. Um, so
1 thing that we're very conscious about and now a lot of
the programs try to incorporate people who have recovered
into their programming, so it's peer-led um, and people who
have recovered also have an opportunity to then advance in
their career and to give back um to the community. So um,
and we're very conscientious in our programming, um, for
instance, you know, the the treatment providers that we
fund to provide linkages to care, um fgc. Um, which is our
partner in providing them are now program that they uh,
incorporate, um, large number of their staff as people who
have lived experience people who have come through the
recovery process. And so so, you know, I I think that
that's a critical element, um to pursue and to expand
well again, thank you all for the uh for the information
and um, I know that the uh, Westside heroin task force has
been
out there doing, you know doing the best that they can I
know that more resources are needed in this particular, uh
area. Secondly, uh and find my final point is this, um,
the the same area that we're talking about in this Corridor
is also part of the uh, mayor's Public Safety initiative
and how we can work and marry those things together because
there is a lot happening in that in that area. So I'm I'm
definitely open to those suggestions and I actually would
like to meet with you all but further discussions on that
and also let's make sure that we get the uh, vending
machines and those 3 locations along, uh Pulaski because
again that is a uh, again, probably the hottest of hot
spots that we see in the city. And again, thank you all and
uh, I I will uh to the extent we can um do the trainings
and things in in West Garfield, uh, please reach out to us
with more than uh willing to to do that because
uh while this challenge as existed, I mean the trajectory
that you're showing with the uh,
especially with the synthetics and auto mitts and I just
sat through a conversation in the 15th District around the
uh, the use of newer stuff that is resistant to the Narcan,
uh, which becomes a whole another set of issues if we can
kind of, you know tame and deal with this issue now. So
again, thank you all for the presentation and chair. Thank
you for for my indulging me. Thank you much. Thank you.
Thank you, uh chairman Irving I have uh chairwoman mitts
and then I have uh, Vice chair vice mayor Bernard,
Let me see. Thank you chairman. And thank you commissioner
and your team?
It's been quite interesting.
Hearing uh with your data is showing today what's
happening, um in other states as well?
But um, I would say this problem didn't just start.
Um, we've been administering Narcan for a while.
and um many conversations years back of uh,
rolling out the Narcan to help prevent it. I think we got
ra to get it here. Uh, and then the suburbs start figuring
out. Well, we better try to save some lives as well because
they was get coming to the West Side from I 290 and get off
and come into the neighborhoods.
um
What I do see is more frequently now. It used to didn't be
as common.
But now it's common where you can see.
folks any time of the day anywhere in the streets
everywhere and
and it is disturbing they were disturbing.
Because now you got to explain to your children.
What's happening with someone do you say they just sick?
And yes I've seen.
folks who overdose I had to learn I thought
You know, I didn't know what had happened to him, but I had
to learn from the fire department.
that they had Odie where you just can't wake them up or
it is out of it.
um
I'm real concerned now.
uh this chairman mentioned we saw this uh presentation by
house, I Commander
with the
overdose and the fentanyl I am just up and arms.
And uh, really?
the only thing I can see that we can do is
uh education need to be
at the Forefront
of all of this
I think that that's 1 of the things because I don't think
that the community is really
aware
because I wasn't I'm I'm learning.
I'm not familiar with what folks do if you're not around
it.
But as I
asked questions and and learn I think that is important
that we do something where we make
all of these areas away
and that will bring me to the question as a
Who are the agencies that you're working with?
In the community. I know we work with along with the
preventive partnership and all the agent HSI community that
we have out here, but who are the agencies that?
For these areas that's heavily concentrated and I'm real
concerned. Now, if you talk about the 40 year old, I'm
gonna take you back a little bit further.
That 40 year old have some children somewhere around is
looking at this.
And believe it or not. It's getting to the church.
Oh you all know that already?
Now that scares the hell out of me.
I really do.
See you out there, and I don't know what we can do about
that particular issue.
Because it gets it comes in handy too, right?
Get out of here. See see what I'm they candy is the thing
that bothers me more. I remember telling the commander to
go back and tell me what
candy
And the kids can get a hold to this.
and
I'm learning. I know what Heron did
but phenol is worse than eron 50 times. Okay. Come on Tim.
What you say 50 times more potent 50 times more potent.
And so if I remember correctly didn't and somebody helped
me with this. I think the president.
um, man, China
Yeah, and then China.
Have started going through Mexico.
And then Mexico bring me to Chicago.
and our kids
I'm really afraid of what's going to happen here. And I
think that it's a great push. I was talking about a
Saturday educating parents to know what the kids are doing.
So that campaign got to go in and you gotta go fast and
loud.
Before we lose the Next Generation and you talking about
blacks.
There's an
as racism I told you already racism been existed all the
time because it's started from
Where doctors was giving any prescriptions?
to these families to cause this
addiction
it wasn't because they wanted to it was a illness and they
prescribed know they wanted to get that that the money from
the federal government using their Medicare whatever cars
they were using and hooked them on these drugs.
and the black community
an older woman you you know, if we look at the history of
tobacco or alcohol the predatory marketing that is tailored
and focused on communities of color. Um, so there's a
there's a history there that you know communities of color
are targeted absolutely with with
Some of the substances and now that we're seeing synthetic
substances there is that same targeting of you know,
vulnerable populations, um with with this medication, so I
agree with you completely we need to do a lot of Education
we were able to reduce tobacco use by 97% Um, even across
all population groups. So that education component is
really vital and is part of the things we're committed to
people need to know that this is the issue it needs to come
from the shadows and people need to be aware that what
you're taking is not just a relief in the moment. It is a
lifetime of trouble so that when these things are marketed
to our communities people know that it is not for your good
it is not just a temporary relief, uh, and we need to start
that education from as young as we possibly can. Um to
reverse this trend it is a very worrying Trend that we're
seeing
is is 1 that uh
Really?
Give me a stress I get stressful with this when you start
messing with.
the kids and I'm seeing that
Where you got to go to the schools?
And if we we have the number of how many kids in the
schools.
That we can get that data from the schools.
But how many kids have had to go to the hospital bill also?
some type of Overdose that they done got
and they thought they had some candy.
and and the kid
this this is getting terrible. It's scary. I'm sick when I
say scary. This is scary.
I have a a school.
Grammar School
Where these candies?
the D kids get
when you take it and start doing things with it that you
never heard of before.
Or putting it in your body in your butt.
And get high.
It blows your mind.
It blows your mind and we have a responsibility.
It needs kids. Let me first of all, we don't bring this
stuff into our neighborhood.
We're not the 1 bring it in there.
Because we don't even make it.
If we did they don't lock this up already. How do we get
it? How do we get in there? First of all, why are you
targeting?
I'm just saying we got a lot of work to do.
and
we can start off by.
concentrating your effort
do this for me if these errors that's been neglected.
They've been without jobs.
they've been without food they've been discriminated
against they've been incarcerated uh for things and you
notice
Parents are struggling. Just trying to make in me.
concentrate your effort there
it would help me feel better.
Because I think that government tends to go.
And forget about certain parts of the community.
and if you want to really
help commissioner
concentrate there. Let's see if we can save some life there
and I welcome you, uh, come out 5 monthly community meeting
for Thursday in this month.
6 oclock follow up with me because I want that message to
get out.
And I think it's by Design. Thank you Bianca for inviting
me down here because it's been something heavy wearing on
me about this fendol and all these drugs and why are we
seeing people?
everywhere, you can't go walking and
and garbage cans they doing and I know they're not at
themselves.
But but how can we all help and make the community aware of
this disease or illness?
And try to save some lives.
Thank you all so much. Thank you. Thank you madam chair.
Thank you. Chairwoman, Miss.
um
1 1 of the aspects of the presentation that I am happiest
about is the amount of resources that we are that are being
made available to us so that through our office as we can
do a lot of this work but definitely partnering with cdph
is going to be really important and I think partnering with
other aldermanic offices in certain regions where we know
that we have hotspots. Um, and and
Higher, uh incidents, um will will help us consolidate
resources as well. So I'm also happy to work with anybody,
um in Council that wants to to to partner up.
Uh next I had vice mayor Bernette, but I don't see him. So
I'm going to go to uh chairwoman Haden.
Thank you chair.
Um, uh, thank you Dr. Eay and team for the presentation.
Um, so 1. Um, I would love a hotspot map for my ward.
so to follow up on that offer, uh, thank you, uh, and I'll
say
I I suspect based on what I know in my ward, um that more
of the overdoses it'd be interesting to see if you both
have that data for overdose deaths but also overdoses that
don't result in a death.
We do have a a pretty fair amount of permanent Supportive
Housing in Rogers Park, especially some some housing
specifically for people recovering from substance abuse. So
I know I've got certain buildings where I'm always getting
calls and I'm kind of curious to see if that lines up
because it would be helpful to know if it is opioid related
because I think then that would help us to kind of Target
information um and Outreach
But that gets to my second point in my case. A lot of these
are um, uh, these overdoses are experienced by people who
are in housing and the housing usually comes with programs
and wraparound services, and it's a little bit of a
challenge but in seeing that and following up, I would love
to sit down with you guys and maybe those care providers.
I have conversations every every couple of months with
them. Um, but I'll say it's really difficult to protect
some of those residents.
because
dealers know they have substance use issues and then I just
deal with you know.
Terrible dealers who like to just literally hang out and
behind the building in front of the building. I've got 1
building where a apartment building next to it. No matter
how many times uh, a tenant gets evicted from this 1 unit.
Somebody always ends up in that unit that happens. So
always be uh providing a substance that people are trying
to kind of get themselves off. Also, I'm very interested in
the the mar, uh program and wondering if even some of our
existing delegate agencies and kind of nonprofit Partners
could
Uh be given some new life. We'll say um, because sometimes
it feels like um, I know what they're doing is is working
for some people but what they're doing isn't working for
um, a lot of people and those are still constituents in my
ward who I kind of consistently see going through and the
longer they're in that kind of addiction the harder it's
going to be for them to get out of it. Um, so would be
interested in kind of working with you guys on that because
I feel like I probably got 3 or 4 buildings where we could
do some targeted work. Um,
and then my second question, this just just goes to kind of
highlight Alderman mitts your point and and uh Alderman
Ervin some of yours.
It's really difficult to get families and people talking
about this. Um, I mean people in the public here had an
outburst, right? Um, because people don't like to hear it,
um, it's painful to deal with. Um, I have a cousin. Um, 20
years old died from a fentanyl overdose.
Um, and I feel like those young people do there's a lot of
accidental fentanyl overdoses, right? She was with friends
and a safe space thinking she's doing 1 kind of
recreational drug.
They have fentanyl, right and she was gone before her
friends even could do anything about it. Right? She ended
up in the hospital and you know just gone in a coma. Um,
and so I know it's important for us to have those resources
and the education as well because the young people
frequently don't know um, and I so it'd be interesting to
hear maybe some of the strategies that are a little
different um, or if you guys don't have it available today,
I'd be curious what that breakdown is of I know you talked
about the most common person we're seeing maybe they were
started out with a prescription and write ended up on that
path to addiction that then ends up leading them to
synthetics that are super dangerous, but I'd be curious to
see. Um, also what that split is of folks who just are
getting these laced drugs and accidentally whether it's an
overdose or maybe then it's a a new pathway. If something
they're getting that leads to addiction as well. I'm
curious what the percentage or breakdown might be on that.
I don't know if you can speak to it now or
yeah, I can take the last the last part of that. So I think
um, you know, if you look at the last 10 years, you know
95% of our fatalities now have fentanyl in their toxicology
results. Whereas if 10 years ago, it was less than a third
and so it gets into what alderwoman mitz was asked was
talking about is that the drug supply has moved from a
plant-based drug Supply to a laboratory based drug Supply.
And so there is every manner of things in drugs now, it is
animal tranquilizers. It's benzo Dia. It's opioids made in
Laboratories that used to only be used for anesthesia. If
you were having a serious surgical procedure, um, you can
produce it in Mass quantity. It's easy to ship and move.
Um, so it's very hard from a Narcotics, um control
perspective to deal with, uh, it's pressed into pills. So
kids think they're taking a
pressed into a pill
um
uh, and so it presents tremendous challenges and I think
that's where um, a lot of the public messaging around the
it's a contaminated drug Supply, right? You don't know what
you're using. Um, and you should operate under the
presumption. If you are using any substance that you did
not get from a medical Provider from a pharmacy that it
could have an analog in it. That is UN
Unfortunately going to lead to the outcome that you
described with your cousin, which I'm am terribly. Sorry to
hear alderwoman.
So I think that's where part of the public messaging is.
Just saying to people there are no safe substances to use
that you are purchasing from someone. You don't know uh,
and in addition to that message. It is carrying Narcan on
your person not using substances alone, right? It's all
that messaging. And the first I I lost the first part of
your question.
I I was more wondering um for for Chicago and for the
numbers that you guys sent us the just knowing that people
come to this in different ways. Like how what percentage of
breakdown? Yeah, it it's it's hard in the data to
reconstruct intent of what people think they're using, uh,
particularly in the case of fatalities, right? Um, but what
we know is that at this point when we look at the fatality
data, there's a lot of different substances in the
toxicology. It's not just 1 thing and we have situations
all the time where people for instance think that they're
using cocaine which they perceive to be lower risk of
Overdose and it's basically powder. It's that has fentanyl
in it and it's a quick overdose. So, um,
it's hard to say what percentage of people uh, mistakenly
like like think they're using something that they perceive
to not be at high risk of Overdose. And and what's not but
I think the critical message at this point in some ways is
that your intent is really not the most important issue
that you don't know what you're using. And and so that's
that's the critical point.
We don't we don't have the breakdown of.
What percentage of folks have a history of using um, we
know that the higher percentage of those who die have a
history of using something else in the past. We also know
that a higher percentage of those who die. Um,
Are also in communities where we see high rates of suicide
attempts. So there are some associations there. And then
there we don't have data now on what percentage is
accidental that they weren't intending to or have a
pre-existing drug use, um, but that that maybe there's a
way we can purse that out but we we don't we don't have a
clear picture but we just do know that this typically
starts with someone who's been using something before um,
or some or those who have mental health issues and are just
looking for relief for I've had previous. Um,
uh
also goes
this presentation? Yes, please. Thank you. Overall that 1
so
oftentimes we think that this is just somebody else's
problem as we've heard.
And I want to just thank for the um.
Along with uh, the ward Maps, um of our own hotspots. Can
you also provide us? Uh, the partners that you have in our
wards that are um working with this.
Um, I am going to commit my ward office to also being a
part of this because I think it's important. Um, I think
there are other areas where I would like, uh your
department to get back focused into its Outreach.
since I've got you condoms being first and foremost among
them because we used to do a lot of distribution and I
bring that up because what I see sometimes from this
department is that we started an initiative, but we never
follow through
I want to make sure that we are following through with this
1 uh and not going to just lose sight, uh after a couple
years. Um, we've seen where we've taken on initiatives
Health initiatives, like driving down to zero, uh, the HIV
aids initiative, um, and then after a couple years it kind
of petered out.
I don't want this to be the same.
Um, I also want to just uh state that you know, we've seen
where these pills um,
Are increasing in quantities being seized. I think 115
million fentanyl pills seized in 2023 which um is an
astounding number and yes, we do know, uh, when we ask, how
are they getting into our communities as our colleague
asked? Um partly? Yes. It is Mexican cartels. Just call it
for what it is. But we also know that it's coming off
airplanes. Oh hair and a a thousand pound bust in April.
Uh people willing because they know that it is supported by
the Chinese Communist party and giving tax incentives and
financial support in China to create this drug to have it
brought here to kill Americans.
so I say that because I think it's important Sharon that
if we are to truly address this issue.
and I think on the
uh
back end is good. But as my colleague from uh, the 28th
word stated.
you have to also do preventative stuff and we need to start
calling out those companies those organizations and
associations that are part of the
Chinese Pipeline and Congressman, uh Raja Christian moorthy
called it a month ago that is going from Chinese factories
to the county Morgue here.
Uh, we need to be able to ensure that as a city. We are not
supporting companies that are participating in the dealing
of death in the city of Chicago and that we are holding
people accountable cam companies accountable and every
entity that bringing this to our doorstep accountable much
as we have in other ways. So, uh, I look forward to
bringing this to the southwest side, but I also want to
make sure that we are working with our federal Partners.
Um, as we are calling on them to do other things at the
federal level later today, I would hope that this committee
will take holding China accountable for its role in in
bringing death to the west side and to all every other
community in the city of Chicago. Thank you.
Um, the last uh speaker that I have is uh Elder woman Mana
hoenor. Is anybody else wants to ask any questions. I'm
going to close.
Okay, I have a chairman Irving.
Other woman. Thank you chair.
Thank you for this presentation and I would like to offer
the 48th Ward as um.
Another Ward that would like to participate in your
program. Thank you.
Um many of my issues were already addressed.
So I appreciate um your also mentioning you're working with
CPS with our young people.
And I appreciate the holistic approach that you want to
take.
To this issue, which is not just a Chicago issue.
It's a it's a global issue.
and my question is
before I get to that 1 I will I'll come back to Chicago.
How are we working with Cook County?
Especially with the jail and our health care System to make
sure that those are who are incarcerated and who those who
are re-entering are getting the supports that they need.
um
Thank you for that question. Um, we work very closely with
uh Cook County, um, uh jail and uh Cook County Department
of Public Health. Um, we work with the health department in
um monitoring cook countywide Trends in overdose fatalities
as well as toxicology results. Um, we work with Cook County
Jail, um to actually provide harm reduction in our can kids
to everybody who's leaving the jail system, um, uh surmac,
um, uh health system and we work collaboratively with them
to ensure that people who are departing from um, Cook
County Jail has uh, you know, because these individuals are
under uh are experienced such high risk of Overdose
immediately after their release, um, because that period is
when their tolerance tends to decrease so, um, so providing
them with Sentinel test kits. I was in test kits, uh,
Narcan and um,
linkage to Community Resources is something that we're um,
federally granted, uh grant-funded to actually do with um
the county uh jail system. So I appreciate that question as
a as a collaboration with the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you.
I had a um, I came across an article.
And it was about opioids after surgery.
in the US
in Canada versus the rest of the world
and my question is
How are we?
holding the health care industry
accountable especially
my my frustration is looking at the maps, of course and
seeing the disproportionate impact on our black community,
especially on the
West in the south side, but this is just the same map when
you're talking about poverty and disinvestment.
um
and this is not
any 1 person fault, this is a systemic issue and
the healthcare industry is a part of this problem.
and doctors who prescribe
Do drugs after surgery and it's often opioids?
And we know that refills are you know, they get refilled
right away and this could be also another path towards
addiction.
And so I guess my interest is in knowing and maybe this is
something we continue to talk about like what is
the use of medical marijuana
after surgery
Um, is that something that is of interest to you? And I
guess we could talk about that at another time, but towards
that end I guess.
my frustration is that
it seems that we are locally trying to deal with something.
That is a global crisis.
And I would like to know is there something that we could
do at city council as a legislative body to help you do
your jobs?
I'll take the first question Elder woman and then um pivot
Dr. E. So I think on the response so the Centers for
Disease Control which is our federal partner and public
health has responsible prescribing guidelines that they
issued in 2022. Um, and so 1 of the things that we do as a
health department is provider education about those
guidelines. Um, there are patients who have chronic pain
disorders that may need opioid pain medication to
appropriately manage their pain and those guidelines
acknowledge that but what they also acknowledge is that
there's a number of effective non.
opioid pain medications and so for people who are having uh,
surgical procedures or have episodic pain that's related to
something that's going to resolve the recommendation
generally is not to use opioid pain medication. So that's
um, it's critical that providers do that because in the
example you gave let's say someone has a surgical procedure
a surgical procedure and then is inappropriately prescribed
a powerful opioid. They could develop a dependence on that
opioid that they would not have developed if they had been
prescribed a non-opioid pain medication.
The state has uh, something called the prescription
monitoring program. So that is a very large data set the
PMP that basically allows us to monitor prescribing
patterns and if the state um, and we are we work in
partnership with the state on this if there are prescribing
patterns associated with a particular prescriber that look
questionable or do not appear to conform to guidelines.
They are engaged by the state health department and it's
exactly for the reason that you mentioned.
Um it is it is a global issue. Um, but also a very uh,
Western issue, um, that is really connected to the
pharmaceutical practices and again predatory marketing, um
the same
Playbook that the tobacco industries use back then to
actively deny that tobacco was dangerous was the same
Playbook pharmaceutical companies used not just in actively
pushing the medication when I was practicing there will be
pain Auditors at the at the you know, at the entrance of
every hospital asking people where you treated
appropriately for your pain and so they push people to
actively demand, um aggressive pain medication, um, and the
the opioid settlement, um has acknowledged that that really
led to the higher use of opioid that we have seen in the
United States, um, because of those marketing practices and
because of those denial of the negative impact of those
opioids for a very very long time, they were like no they
are not addictive know they are not addictive know they are
not addictive even know even though they knew they were
addictive. Um, and
Now that the cat is out of the bag. Um, it is now a lot of
work to to fix the issue. Uh, but also to hold the Health
Care System accountable, uh for future practices. So
there's a lot of work that needs to be done in the in the
space, um around regulatory. Um,
oversight also um
so we as a local Health Department, uh
We are trying our best to at least Salvage what we can um,
but there is a need for even more systemwide approaches to
this issue. Um, but I think that the very first step is
just acknowledging that there is a problem and getting
information out to all stakeholders parents children youth
everybody because many times public health issues are
shrouded in that denial everybody keeps saying there's not
a problem. There is a problem and these drugs are a problem
and they have been marketed and we should
Make a lot of noise, um about it. Yeah, I I appreciate that
commissioner because it's it is true every every single 1
of us here, I believe.
Know someone who has been touched by this crisis.
and
people
from all over the Midwest are looking at Chicago.
To be a leader.
And so I thank you for your work and thank you for bringing
this to this body to discuss. Thank you. Thank you Other
Woman. Um, I have uh chairman Irving to close um, and we
still have to items that we need to vote on. So appreciate
experiencing thank you, uh 2 things that you talked on, uh
that I don't know if you got any resolution on number 1 was
the education component. Uh, you said there was some uh,
mechanism of state law that is doing what and if it is
something that we need to be pushing with CPS, uh in the
schools in West Garfield the for elementary schools in West
Garfield Park, uh, 3 of them are in 281 is in 24, I'm sorry
5 uh 2 in 24, uh, and what we need to do to connect with
principles, there are these elementary schools or is this a
high school elementary school type programming? Um, there's
only 1 High School in West Garfield, uh as well. Um, that's
something that if we need to facilitate in that respect
that we'd be happy to do in the work.
With ottoman, um Monique Scott on that and the second issue
around these uh around these pills. Um,
from a
Educational standpoint, what are we doing to talk about?
Uh, you think you're taking the Xanax bar, but it's really
it's really fitting all and now you you're you're 16, you
know with a with a with heroin problem. So what are we
doing on on that front and you can make that uh quick but
let's if we can uh, get some resources focused on the
educational component of this, uh, with what I see PS, uh
schools in in that regard. Thank you madam chair, and I
apologize. I didn't know you all are still regular business
to to attend to as well.
Um, thank you chairman, uh on your your question about the
marketing. So the Diaz marketing campaign has been mostly
focused on what you just said not knowing what you're
taking that fentanyl can be in anything and that even if
you perceive yourself to be using something that you don't
think fentanyl is in its in everything at this point. So
their marketing has really focused on that issue. Um, uh,
our marketing has mostly focused on getting uh, reducing
stigma and getting people connected to resources. Um, I I
don't think those are mutually incompatible and and I think
it's definitely an area of Public Health marketing that we
could look at too is you can think about it as almost like
a poison control issue right that the drug Supply is
contaminated and people don't know what they're using and a
lot of people uh, continue to believe
Believe if they think for instance, they're using a
stimulant like cocaine that they're not going to overdose
on that or they think they're using a Xanax bar and they're
not. Um, so I I think that continues to be something uh, uh
that we need to do public marketing around and there's a
lot of federal money being spent on that right now.
Thank you so much, uh for the presentation, thank you so
much for the work that you all are doing. Um,
To keep our community safe. Um
And I'm going to proceed with the next item of the agenda
appreciate your work. Uh, please anybody that wants to take
the training that wants uh the resources in your offices
contact cdph. Um, we really want to be a partner in this
work and make sure that we get the resources to everybody
that needs it.
All the women we we have some samples of the kits that we
brought just to hand to yes. There is a test strips there
and there is Narcan. Um, so take 1 to your office and make
sure that you sign up for the training.
This is
um, we will now move on to the next item today.
I'm going to give a second to um cdph to exit and for our
colleagues to get.
the resources if they want to
want to make sure we have quorum.
we will now move on to the next item, uh today which is
Elder woman Fuentes resolution 2024 0000083 9 which is an
expression of support for right of self-determination for
the people of Puerto Rico and opposition to Puerto Rico
status Act.
Um, would you like to speak to this resolution Other Woman?
Yes, sure woman, thank you. Uh, the state of Illinois is 1
of the top 10 states that has the highest population of
Puerto Ricans in the country being number 9, I represent
the 26 Ward which is 1 of the wars that has the highest
number of Puerto Ricans that live in the 50 Wards in the
city of Chicago.
Puerto Rico is a colonial property of the United States
Puerto Rico belongs to but it's not a part of the United
States that is by federal law.
My shirt belongs to me I can do whatever I want with this
turtleneck. I could burn it tear it up. Throw it away
borrow it but my hand belongs to me.
If I sever it.
I'm in trouble.
Therefore I do everything possible to take care of my hand
Puerto Rico is the turtleneck of the United States and has
been treated that way uh for several decades. There is a
current bill in Congress called the Puerto Rico status Act.
um, which was an unfortunate compromise for the people of
Puerto Rico not just in Puerto Rico, but for Puerto Rico's
in the diaspora for the Puerto Ricans in my ward who live
here who came from Puerto Rico and who still may have
relatives in Puerto Rico and I just want to articulate why
this resolution is important for the constituents that I
represent.
Today Puerto Rico is in a particular political status in
which that it is not a state. It is not an independent
nation. It is this property of the United States which has
left Puerto Rico and relatives of residents in my award.
In a more difficult situation we've seen the after
Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico the devastation that took
over the island did not receive the federal attention that
it deserved.
And we seen that when President Trump at the time went to
Puerto Rico and threw paper towels at people rather than
give them the federal aid that they needed.
2 Puerto Rico is under bend the knee of a fiscal control
board that was implemented by President Obama under the
promesa ACT.
This financial control board has quite frankly practiced
austerity measures across the entire Island.
Completely breaking middle class families to below poverty
Lines within months the years.
Closing academic institutions closing institutions that
have provided resources for families on the island for
centuries.
the political status of Puerto Rico must be resolved for
but not under the current bill that is currently in
Congress.
When we talk about self-determination we talked about how
important education is. I have my own political views on
what I believe is best for Puerto Rico, but I can't impose
those beliefs on the people that have to live in Puerto
Rico.
So the the Puerto Rico status act does a couple of things
that are harmful.
It creates an opportunity for the people Puerto Rico to
vote on its future on a binding referendum for the first
time Puerto. Rico will have a ballot that says do you want
to be a state? Do you want to have a free association
relationship with the United States or do you want to be an
independent nation?
But with no education of what that means or what the
implications are for Puerto Ricans on the state side and
Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans on the island. If Puerto Rico was
to become a state of the United States what happens to our
native language what happens to the Olympics of Puerto Rico
what happens to the Constitution that currently drives
Puerto Rico who then becomes the enforcer of law there are
so many things that has not been articulated the same thing
if Puerto Rico were to become an independent nation.
What happens to citizenship for people that were born in
the United States is citizenship passed down for
individuals that were born in the United States, but may
live in Puerto Rico later on. There is so much that we
don't know and yet we want people to determine their own
future blindly. It is quite frankly anti-democratic.
We live in a democratic country in which we want people to
be informed voters.
Well this particular Bill does not allow for Puerto Ricans
to be informed voters because we're asking them to
determine their political future with no idea of what that
transition looks like nor what their what their day-to-day
life will look like this resolution calls on our Illinois
delegation the Democratic party and quite frankly everyone
in the federal government to Halt on their support of the
Puerto Rico status act because there is an extremely
important piece missing and that is our ability to educate
Puerto Ricans on the island on
Each status there needs to be an articulation of Puerto
Rico to become a state.
What is the transition plan are we talking becoming a state
overnight? Are we talking a 5 to 10 year transition? If
we're in independent nation, do you sever complete
financial support for Puerto Rico overnight or are we
giving Puerto Rico an opportunity to become a sovereign
Nation?
That assembly is extremely important to the voting system
and to to ensuring that there's informed voters. And so
unless the people who are driving this bill are willing to
have a conversation with Puerto Ricans on the island and
Puerto Ricans in the diaspora on what an educational
assembly would look like in Puerto Rico, by the way.
This bill should not move forward self-determination means
being able to determine your own future and being educated
on what that means for you and future generations to come.
Now there are individuals in my ward who came from Puerto
Rico in the 1950s and the 1960s. They're in 1 of the
largest Puerto Rican migrations in the United States.
With every intention of going back home.
Was every intention of being able to raise future relatives
there?
The Unique Piece around Puerto Ricans in the diaspora and
across the globe is that we never forget our Puerto Ricans.
Puerto Rico is always a place that we plan to return to.
and that future
must be determined through an informed process.
and so we are asking folks to Halt their
self-determination the Puerto Rico status act and support
what is called the self-determination bill.
A bill that provides every possible status for Puerto Rico
with the proper funding the proper assembly and the proper
education to our voters. We all have our own political
opinions, but it is not up to us to determine the future of
Puerto Ricans on the island. They must determine that for
themselves. And so there's a more obligation here to
support people in Puerto Rico when they are asking for
education, and they are asking for an opportunity to
determine their own destiny. And so I asked for everyone's
support here for this resolution. Thank you madam chair.
Thank you so much, uh Other Woman Fuentes. Um, I do want to
express my support for these resolution as somebody that
was born and raised in their Thiago of Puerto Rico.
Um, we have dealt with misinformation around, um, the
political status quo since I have a memory of being alive.
Um, and I think that is incredibly important that the
people of Puerto Rico know exactly what they are voting for
and what are going to be the consequences that that this is
going to have because so far, um, the fate of Puerto Ricans
have been in the hands of Congress, um, and and Puerto
Ricans have never had a chance to actually determine their
own future. Um, so I wholeheartedly support this resolution
does anybody else wants to speak on it. Uh Alderman Lopez
Thank you. Chairman. Is this so I'm clear. Is this in
reference to house resolution 2757?
Because it didn't what's the actual is that it? That is
correct Alderman and it's it's uh called the Puerto Rico
status Act.
I just want to make sure because I I first off, uh, I'm
conflicted by this resolution because I believe the first
part expressing support for the people of Puerto Rico to
make a determination for themselves. Absolutely. It is
should be their right, um for us to be able to allow them
to choose if they want to be
Remain if they want to be a state if they want to or if they
want to be an independent nation.
um, but the question that I have
Uh as I'm looking through this.
um
bill
we've talked a lot about
people blindly making a choice
and
I asked and I'm happy to share. Um, but
the questions on the ballot
Are very in depth?
uh, it gives you several options Independence and then it
lists through multiple subsections what Independence means
sovereignty and free association with the United States and
then it lists again multiple explanations of what that
means.
statehood and again with multiple explanations of what
statehood means
um
as well as the issues of with uh, jurisdiction and things
of that matter additionally section 6 of this bill.
refers to
funding the education component of this campaign, um
through it the elections commission and a nonpartisan voter
education, which is paid for by the federal government and
through the commission, uh, as well as ensuring that funds
for the full implementation of this.
Ballot this referendum as well as the funds to educate, uh
both in English and Spanish are available to voters. Um,
perhaps I'm missing but where's the issue, uh with regards
to the education and Outreach. Uh, if all of that is
Incorporated in this bill, otherwise, yeah, actually, uh
Alderman I am mistaken you are reading the bill. I'm asking
this resolution to support that is the self-determination
bill that is not the bill. The the Puerto Rico status act
put forward which was the Compromise after the introduction
of the self-determination bill which leaves out the funding
of the educational assembly, um, and the articulation of of
each status and so the compromise Bill watered down exactly
the pieces that you pointed out were extremely important
and that's why we're asking for a hope so that we can add
those pieces back in it is those exact elements that are
important to the
self-determination of Puerto Rico
so then
For my edification and everyone else who's I'm sure trying
to understand this. So then there are 2 different bills.
Yes Alderman, there are so
This 1 that I just read from which is 2757.
Um
Would it make more sense, uh to simply just put this is a
resolution in support of this bill.
Um, and I share that with our delegation as opposed to
opposing some other bill that doesn't meet the standard if
they've crafted.
Uh legislation that fits the needs that we're asking for.
Should we not as a body come out in full support of that 1
instead as opposed to making people try to figure out which
1 we're referring to yeah, there can be an amendment made
to this resolution to point particularly to the house bill
that you are referring to for full support. I think it is
important to articulate the need to Halt the support for
the Puerto Rico status act because there is a lots of
statehood dollars and lobbing that's happening on 1st the
other right and so it's important to be able to distinct
the difference between 2 billion to point to the house bill
for full support as a body that that is the bill that we
believe is best and and we can make that Amendment after I
would be in I would be in full support of this if we would
just clarify that in this resolution so that we could say
that we are in support of
Them making a decision in Puerto Rico and then support of
Congress doing it through this corrected through this bill
the specific bill.
Yes, we can make that uh Amendment today.
And so chairwoman if we can move on maybe to the second
resolution. My director of policy is here who can make the
amendment and we can get a printed version. Okay to hold
the request we can hold this matter for a few minutes. Um,
we will go to our next item and we will make an amendment
so that we can have support from the whole Community. Uh,
thank you Alderman Lopez for your comments. Uh, I
Um, we're going to move to the last item of today, um is an
ordinance from Alderman vas ordinance 202400000088, which
is a requirement for City departments and agencies to
include the designation of Middle Eastern or North African
on data reports using racial or ethnic classifications. Um,
Share my video, I guess would you like to speak on this
item?
Thank you. Thank you madam. Chair Matt Madam chairwoman and
members of the committee. Um, this is a continuation of a
movement that we've been putting forward around identifying
the middle eastern North African Community. Um this body in
2023 passed the ordinance, um that required the department
of procurement to put forward a disparity study and
identifying the middle eastern North African
African-American Community African Community and um,
Uh in hopes of it being part of the census for
identification purposes. Uh, it it was um,
it is rather going to be part of it in the 2030 census. We
were the first city in the country to put forward a
designation specifically for Mina.
Um, so I'm honored to be taking this additional step
forward in ensuring the Middle Eastern and North African or
Mina will be accurately accounted for moving forward the
American Community survey Shine the Light on the
difficulties prejudices and discrimination this communities
faced today's vote reiterates our commitment to making sure
the Meena Community as adequate resources allocated to them
here in our city. We have the fourth largest concentration
Amina Americans living in United States, they voiced their
concerns demanded action. And today we're answering their
call with the passage of this ordinance the city would join
the US Census Bureau the federal government and various
state agencies and recognizing Mina Americans as an
identified group.
group recently the state has amended the uniform racial
classification Act and the data governance and organization
to support equity and racial Justice act to require
agencies that compile a report data using racial ethnic
class of classifications to include the classification for
Middle Eastern or North African.
Pass of this ordinance will create a classification within
the city of Chicago recognizing the meaning of community
this open doors for the community gain access to
Affirmative Action Resources that have been off limits to
them for too long. I want to thank the uh, all the American
Middle East boys Alliance for the tireless effort and
advocacy on this issue, uh, specifically, um, judge Bill
Hadad as well as Salman aftab Rush darish, uh and Muhammad,
uh for their continuing advocacy on this issue and I want
to thank my colleagues for convening today and recognizing
this crucial legislation and of the proper time Madam
chair, I would ask for a favorable favorable vote on this
item.
Thank you so much chairman for bringing this um to our
attention. Um, I I have 1 question about the the ordinance
are we um, do we have any information from the city in
terms of how long it's going to take for them to be able to
make sure that that we comply with? Um,
With with the ordinance. Yeah. So, um, our hopes is to get
this passed out of committee today get it passed on 40 on
full City Council on Wednesday and then work closely with
uh, the human Human Resources, uh, uh depart commission. So
Department rather to to put this uh, classification I'm
willing to work with them. If it takes a few months to do
that again, we're we're always willing to work with them.
Um, um, but I would say that, uh, hopefully by the end of
the year this category will be uh put on the application so
that way those that Community can self-identify, uh, as
part of the as part of the application process and that way
we know who's actually applying to the city of Chicago.
Yeah, that that's very necessary and also the idea of other
um has always been bothered some um, too many of us that
don't uh, check all of the boxes or don't fit on the boxes.
Uh, are there any questions from members of committee any
comments?
Can I get a motion to recommend approval of this ordinance?
So moved by Alderman Lopez all of those in favor signify by
saying I
oppose say name in the opinion of the chair. The eyes have
it. This item will be uh reported at the next council
meeting. Yes Madam chair. I also wanted to uh, recognize
and acknowledge 2 gentlemen that are here in the audience
that have come down here for another meeting and didn't
realize that this order will be called, uh, Rush starish as
well as Muhammad.
Uh, they're in the audience.
Thank you, and thank you for your work. We appreciate it
very very much. Thank you.
Um, we are going to go back to our last IR previous item.
Do we have the Amendments made already or it's almost done.
Can we have 5 minute reset? Yeah. We we will stand at 5
minute recess. Um, and we will come back to finish. Thank
you.
From Recess. Um
We are back to resolution 202400000838 expression of
support for right for self-determination.
Um
anybody has any more questions about the amendment or the
amended resolution?
Can I get a motion to?
Do you have do you have comments alderman?
motion to amend okay
Can I get a motion so move?
Substitute. Okay, I'll to set the substitute, uh other
Alderman Lopez, um makes a motion to accept the substitute,
uh, all of those in favor signify by saying I opposed say
nay in the opinion of the chair the eyes have it. Can I now
get a motion uh for to approve, uh, The Substitute
resolution
alderwoman fentes so moves, um all of those in favor
signify by saying I
opposed say nay
In the opinion of the chair the eyes have it. This item
will be reported. Um as a recommendation to pass in the
next council meeting.
Uh without any more items or any other business in front of
the committee, uh, can I get a motion to adjourn?
So moved by other woman Fuentes all of those in favor
signify by saying I opposed say nay in the opinion of the
share the eyes have it this meeting is adjourned.