Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-27 15-157 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION Item No. 15-157 Date: April 27, 2015 Item/Subject: Order Accepting and Adopting the Recommendations of the Substance Abuse Working Group and the Community Health Leadership Board Responsible Department: Community Health Commentary: This order will accept and adopt the recommendations of the Substance Abuse Working Group and the Community Health Leadership Board. This past spring, the City engaged in an unprecedented new collaborative with health care and service organizations known as the Community Health Leadership Board (CHLB). The city working with the CHLB launched Bangor's Community Working Group on Substance Abuse. The group brought together a broad based coalition of people representing public health professionals, medical professionals, addiction specialists, public safety personnel, residents, and business owners to study the impacts of addiction and substance abuse on the community. If approved, this Order will adopt the recommendations of the Working group, endorse the priorities of the CHLB, and convey the City's position and the report to the Commissioner of DHHS, the Bangor legislative delegation; the Joint Committee on Health and Human Services, and the Maine legislative leadership. This item was reviewed and recommended for approval at the Government Operations Committee on April 22, 2015. Manager's Comments: Associated Information: Order, Report Budget Approval: Legal Approval: Introduced for X Passage First Reading Referral Department Head eaAA, City Manager Finance Director Page _of_ Solicitor Assigned to Councilor Civiello CITY OF BANGOR 15-157 APRIL 27, 2015 (TITLE.) Order, Accepting and Adopting the Recommendations of the Substance Abuse Working Group and the Community Health Leadership Board WHEREAS, the Bangor City Council has long been concerned about the impact of substance abuse in the City and region; and WHEREAS, efforts to expand clinics that provide Medical Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Bangor raised additional concerns; and WHEREAS, a moratorium was enacted in the fall of 2613 to prohibit the expansion of clinics whose sole purpose was the delivery of MAT; and WHEREAS, at the direction of the Council, staff has worked with the leaders of the major health care providers and social service agencies to form the Community Health Leadership Board; and WHEREAS, the Community Health Leadership Board established a working group known as the Substance Abuse Working Group to study the impact of substance abuse in the community; and WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse Working Group was made up of a broad based group representing health care, addiction, recovery, businesses, residents, and public safety; and WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse Working Group studied the issues of substance abuse in our community using an eight week series of panel experts to inform the discussion; and WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse Working Group provided a detailed report of recommendations to address the substance abuse issues in the City; and WHEREAS, the Community Health Leadership Board prioritized those recommendations and developed smaller working groups to begin the working of implementing those recommendations to improve population health and reduce substance abuse in the City and region; and WHEREAS, other members of the community and the Substance Abuse Working Group have worked on furthering issues outlined in the report that were not immediately prioritized by the Community Health Leadership Board such as drug court; and IN CITY COUNCIL APRIL 27, 2015 MOTION MADE AND SECONDED FOR PASSAGE PASSED CITY CLE