The Tacoma-Pierce County Opioid Task Force worked for years to address the opioid crisis. But in June it announced that it was being disbanded. Local officials claim it is a natural time to end the task force, but some addiction advocates have cast doubt on the decision.
The Opioid Task Force was launched in 2018 as a regional response to the opioid crisis and was managed by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. It was a joint effort between Pierce County, the City of Tacoma, the health department and the nonprofit Elevate Health. It was largely made up of volunteers, including behavioral health specialists, who were supported by two full-time staff.
“The Opioid Task Force helped Pierce County lay the groundwork for fighting the opioid crisis,” Pierce County Councilmember Jani Hitchen said in a news release. “Bringing relief to those struggling is our top priority, and we’ll build on the recent successes we’ve seen.”…