Will Kevin Howard, Lawrence Jackson, Kelcey Leon, Gloria Hart and Sam Lou be approach.
Yes. I'm Lawrence Jackson. So I just wanted to say I'm a product of DBHIDS. I came from Atlanta in October 2017, to commit a crime, I got arrested. I brought me from Atlanta a mental health problem, a drug problem and a criminal problem. I went to jail. The police recognized I had a drug problem. I went to the homeless shelter. I went to rehab. I went through long-term Journey of Hope program. And then I found an idea of what recovery could be. I went to rehab twice. And I'm saying that to say I became a recovery addict working with Cultural Affairs. I became a certified peer specialist. And now, I'm a full-time employee with the MORS Unit. All right. I'm saying four years ago I was homeless. I was matched to independent housing. From there I got a PHA voucher and rented a home. And on May 10th I moved into a brand new home through the help of the City of Philadelphia through the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Services. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Thank you. (Applause.)
My name is Kevin Howard. Can you hear me? Testing 1, 2, 3. Hi. My name is Kevin Howard. I've been in the field for 30 years in addiction and recovery. I'm a recovering person. One of my concerns is that we provide folks with medication. It's very important because we are losing people to withdrawal and we are not capturing those people who would otherwise be in treatment. If medication is not at the forefront, we're going to lose our people. It has to be at the forefront. Our providers have to medicate these folks as quick as possible. We need to have topnotch customer service at the front door because we're losing people if we don't provide topnotch customer service. So having said that, those are two important things that I wanted to relay to City Council. Thank you so much.
Will Ben F, Larry Turetsky, Kate Magoffin and Connor Sacconi approach. Please state your name for the record. Thank you.
Hello. My name is Ben F. I'm here with the Abolitionist Law Center. I'd like to speak to one of the greatest barriers to treatment, the violence that is inflicted on people who use drugs of the PPD and the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. The increased militarization and policing of residents of Kensington both housed and unhoused is the opposite of the pathway to recovery and treatment. Between June 18th and July 8th, there was a 123 percent increase in drugs in arrests for drug possession in the 24th District according to data from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Violence and harmful interactions with the police and the carceral system only disrupt and traumatize the care that people with complex medical conditions need. There's also a misconception that people who enter the jail will receive treatment. As being heard today, addiction is a complex disease that requires individualized care. However, most people only receive MOUD treatment a daily dose of buprenorphine. There are also long excruciating waits for treatment. In 2023, there were 181 weekly backlog appointments for MOUD treatment. While people are not receiving their medication, they are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations and nausea, suffering that is akin to cruel and unusual punishment. And at the same time large numbers of people are getting kicked off treatment once they get it often without due process or review. In 2021, 532 people or 41 percent of people who are giving MOUD treatment then have their medication ended which often can be simply because of correctional officer said so. Philly jails are incredibly unsafe, particularly for those who struggle with addiction. Jails have proven that they function so poorly they cannot even provide basic medical care. Since 2018 at least people have died in the 18 jails due to overdoses or other 19 drug-relates costs accounting for a 20 third of all deaths in facilities. 21 In 2021 or in 2020 more 22 people overdosed at CFCF over a 23 single weekend and three of them 24 died. Incarceration also increases 25 risk of death as soon as people are released. Within the first two weeks after release, the risk of death of drug overdose is 12.7 times higher than the general population. We know what works. There are harm reduction providers who have longstanding trusting relationships who can support people to getting care. If Philadelphia truly wants to address this public health crisis, we also have to end this criminalization and use the money for dignified treatment. Thank you.
My name's Larry. I've been living about a block from K&A for 13 years. I've seen a lot. What can I say is that I've been really impressed in the two years, particularly the last year, with the way things have been improving. It smells better. It looks better. There's a lot more to go. Don't get be wrong. I'm happy to give a compliment. I'm also not shy about criticizing, but I can see that our alleyways have been clean. CLIP's hazard department has been coming around sanitizing. Streets have been making more pick-ups. They're actually taking the trash now. And so, I commend the Council, particularly Councilwoman Lozada for -- something must have changed. I assume it's her and Mayor Parker and anyone else that's been involved so I appreciate that. It seems though the reason that we're having this hearing is because there's been a lack of investment over the decades, probably goes back to the '70s. You can argue whatever number you want, but since globalization. But it seems like we're just trying to reverse what should have been done since 1970s, and that is investing in long-term public infrastructure. So streets, the clean-up, maybe eventually we can get into job training, early childhood education, more parks or cleaner parks I should say, usable parks. And those are the kinds of things that bring increased property values and businesses. Kensington and Port Richmond were not always this way. They were regional and national centers for lots of industries like fishing, ship-building. Tylenol was invented 2,000 feet from here in Kensington, McNeil Pharmaceuticals. Lactose milk, if you drink that or take lactose tablets, that was invented here in Kensington. And so, the Stetson hat, the cowboy hat, that's not from Texas. That's Kensington. Stetson in Kensington used to be the number one employer in the country. It was bigger than Ford, but globalization took it away. But the point is we can go back to that kind of time where we can bring businesses, tax-based population. The reason why Kensington and Port Richmond were even developed was because there was employment and things to do here. And I think we can take it back to that. And so, I appreciate the investment. I think it's going to be long-term. We're looking at multiple years. You're going to have to change the bureaucracy with bed categorizations and whatever CBH thinks they're doing over there. I can't believe the guy said COVID was a reason still two years that they're behind on treatments, and fix some of that bureaucracy. You have the budget, $6.2 billion you have without raising taxes, so thank you. But you now have the money. I don't know if you want to wait for Universal Health Care. I think we got the money to do it. And so, I think that kind of persistent investment is where I see -- because it's already worked in the last two years. That kind of persistent investment is where we should be going for the next few years, so hopefully you'll keep at it and I appreciate the out-of-the-box thinking and money that's coming our way. So please keep it up. It has been improved. I've seen it, lower crime, all that.
Thank you for your testimony -- thank you for your comment. (Applause.)
Hello. My name is Connor. I'm a volunteer with the Public Relations Subcommittee, the Downtown Philadelphia Area of Narcotics Anonymous. Regrettably I was under the impression that I was a panel, but I guess I'm not which is okay. Thank you for allowing me to testify today about an issue that is affecting many lives within our city, homelessness and drug addiction. Philadelphia is a city that has stood together in the face of adversity and we need to come together to address this issue. And I recognize Councilmembers Driscoll, Lozada and Ahmad and the work that you guys are doing, extremely grateful. Narcotics Anonymous has been active in the city of Philadelphia for 40 years and in the Philly suburbs for over 50 years. We've been able to get past all the barriers where diversity has now become our strength. Amazingly Narcotics Anonymous has 240 meetings weekly in the city of Philadelphia. As your resolution 3 outlines, the shortage of vacant beds in homeless individuals is a problem. This is exacerbated by the fact that many of these individuals are struggling with addiction. The lack of option not only leaves these individuals without shelter but also without the support they need to start the recovery journey. This is -- Narcotics Anonymous can be a resource. NA is a nonprofit community-based organization that provides a network of individuals battling addiction. We meet regularly to help each other stay clean. Through attending meetings, NA can offer hope, where for many there has not been hope for some time. This is how Narcotics Anonymous can help, fellowship and accountability. Narcotics Anonymous provides a safe environment where individuals can share their experience and struggles with others who have faced similar challenges. This support fosters a sense of community and accountability. Accessibility: NA meetings are 100 percent free and widely available. As I said throughout the city, 240 meetings a week. This makes them a readily available resource for individuals that may not have the means or the willingness to go traditional rehab. By utilizing existing community spaces, NA can operate without any financial investment from the City. Cooperation with existing services: NA does not replace the need for medical or residential treatment programs, but can work in cooperation with them by providing ongoing support. NA gives individuals a place to participate in the recovery after leaving treatment facilities, reducing the likelihood of relapse and repeated use of City resources. Reduction of bed shortage pressure: Encouraging participation in NA can help reduce the strain on the City's shelter system. People who find stability and support through NA are more likely to secure permanent housing and employment, thereby decreasing the demand for emergency shelter beds. Community and giving back: NA encourages members to become active contributing members of society. This not only benefits the individuals but strengthens the community by allowing an environment of support and recovery. Often times we find members will see people that they used to get high with that are clean and doing well and say, what are you doing. That goes for all types of recovery. I urge the City to consider the following actions to support Narcotics Anonymous into your strategy for addressing homelessness and addiction: Awareness, increased awareness of Narcotics Anonymous meetings through City websites, shelters and community centers. Ensure that those who are in need know how or where to access our meeting places. Upon request, we have posters with our information available that we will be happy to provide, meeting lists, business cards which I brought some with me that have a QR code that direct to all the local meetings in the area. We also have a huge volunteer base. Providing information for City services, and I'll wrap up with this: Several city-run organizations come into frequent contact --
I'm sorry, Mr. Sacconi. We do have some other speakers. I got to cut you out.
Thank you very much for my time. I have a lot of information with me if you guys are interested.
Thank you so much for your testimony. Your written testimony can be given to the Clerk. He will make sure that we put it on the record. And my team is right over there at the first table. Please feel free to leave your information with them. I'll make sure to share it.
Thank you for joining us today. MS. Magoffin: Good almost evening, Council. I appreciable you all hosting this hearing. My name is Kate Magoffin. I'm a social worker, an outreach worker. I reach in our behavioral health system as well. I train hundreds of behavioral health staff a year around topics of addiction, stigma, trauma and organizational management. I know this hearing is geared towards kind of accessing beds, but I wanted to note the importance of talking about what happens when people are in those beds and the quality of treatment people have received, especially when people leave AMA. I'm like that's a huge deal in Philadelphia. We need to actually be -- like, there's infrastructure in Philly and we need to actually to be talking about, that's great, get people into beds, have whatever outreach workers get people into treatment. That's not going to stop people from leaving AMA. And so, just to note that a little bit more, an example of that is for a little bit over a year now I've been part of some advocacy efforts geared towards Penn Medicine to improve conditions at their HUP Cedar location. After rerouting a majority of their psych and detox patients there after they closed down Reg 4 last summer. Reg 4 was an 18-bed inpatient rehab located in Penn Presbyterian. Patients at Reg 4 had access on ICU, medical consults like renal and cardio consults. They were offered standardized withdrawal management. They had transparent competent staff and they were generally cared for by medically complex professionals. I've talked with a lot of people in Kensington when I've been doing outreach for the last five years. There were a lot of folks that were like, oh, we like Penn Presby. Penn Presby treated us really well or Reg treated us 4 really well. So like I said, Penn Med decided to shut that unit down and did not replace those inpatient beds. So now, many psych and detox patients from around Philadelphia are being routed to HUP Cedar to its ED and new CRC. I wanted to relay some notes about the treatment that the detox patients receive at HUP Cedar from up here who works there. One, HUP Cedar doesn't have inperson medical consults which is a problem for a medical complex needs of the patients coming in. The staff at HUP Cedar have been known to cruelly Narcan people when it wasn't necessary, and treatment like that, word spreads. So a lot of folks were like we're going to HUP Cedar. Staff at Cedar still don't have education around xylazine, what it is, what xylazine withdrawal looks like. Also, because CRC only has three beds and those three beds are for 302 patients, sometimes people go into the CRC as detox patients and end up sitting in chairs for multiple days only to leave and are sometimes worse off than they were. Again, just other things about Cedar staff being rude and dismissive. Also, a few weeks ago there was an incident where a staff member at Cedar dragged, and I literally mean dragged on the ground, a geriatric SUD patient out of the building by her feet. So notably, these are conditions. Also, at HUP Cedar eight months after a patient died from medical neglect because staff didn't call a code blue, after a state inspection also ruled that they found multiple other incidents of patient neglect. And these conditions that I just stated are kind of current conditions. I also just wanted to note that the concept of kind of a bed is a bed is not actually necessarily helpful framing for this issue --
Sorry. I gave you an extra one too. I'm sorry. I have more, but thank you.
Would Gia Gale, Shawn Ryan and Ketun Bonillos, please come up. (No response.)
Going once, twice, it's sold. It's sold, Councilwoman. That's it.
This concludes the business before the Special Committee on Kensington today. Thank you all very much for being in attendance with us. We appreciate and value everything and everyone who joined us today. Thank you so much. Be safe getting back home. Thank you. Can I have a motion to adjourn?
Aye. (Special Committee on Kensington concluded at 4:30 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. __________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL