PORTLAND, Ore. — On a tent-covered corner in Portland's Old Town, a homeless man threatened city camp removal crews Tuesday morning, prompting a police response. Once officers arrived, a different man overdosed on fentanyl. Two ambulances showed up shortly after.
The chaotic scene was a microcosm of the problems that brought about a 90-day fentanyl state of emergency in Multnomah County, now just two weeks away from its end date. During an update on the state of emergency in a county board room Tuesday, data was shared that shows homeless people are willing to receive help but nearly half are being turned away due to a lack of services.
Bobby, who’s been homeless most his life, was picking up the pieces of his camp when his friend stopped breathing after smoking fentanyl.
"He lost his family a couple years ago and it was the anniversary of that, so I think he just wanted to go see his family," Bobby said of the man who overdosed.
City camp removal crews continued to remove the surrounding tents as first responders administered Narcan.
Across the river and inside the Multnomah County board room, tensions rose as commissioners received an update on the fentanyl state of emergency and a pilot project that pairs police with outreach workers in an effort to connect homeless people with services.
"I know Multnomah County truly appreciates the opportunity to support this pilot and continue making this difference in our streets," said county Chair Jessica Vega Pederson in Tuesday’s opening remarks.
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"My addiction is so bad. I’m a polysubstance user. I’ve been an addict since I was 11 years old when my father stuck a needle in my arm," Bobby said.
"We are woefully under-resourced, so we need to be investing and expanding capacity right now for treatment resources and health care in general," said Joe Bazeghi with Recovery Works NW, which is part of the team of outreach workers under this pilot. "If we are going to be connecting with people and saying, 'Here is the door, here are the resources' but the access and capacity isn’t there, then that can potentially do more harm than good."
"Getting into treatment and having nowhere to go after, I think, is damaging," said Commissioner Sharon Meieran during Tuesday's board briefing.
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However, for people like Bobby, who said he's been an addict since he was 11 years old, it's the pilot program itself that he says can be damaging.
"Stop pairing them with police … We have some people out here with mental health issues and they see police banner next to someone who wants to help, and it makes them angry because they want the help, but they can’t articulate the ability to ask for it 'cause they worry about going to jail," Bobby said.
Police and outreach workers are planning to go out again together this Thursday. Right now, their focus is on downtown Portland, specifically Old Town.
County commissioners Tuesday called for the pilot to be extended county-wide since the fentanyl crisis goes beyond just downtown, which has thus far been the focus of efforts under the fentanyl emergency.