Fentanyl is often mixed with other street drugs, leading to many overdoses. (Getty Images)
More than 90 people in Multnomah County entered a new program intended to help Oregonians who use illicit drugs avoid possession charges in court and receive treatment instead.
The figure for Oregon’s largest county provides the best available picture of how the new deflection program, which started Sept. 1, is aiding the Portland region’s fight against fentanyl-fueled drug addiction. But it’s also an incomplete picture, one that doesn’t yet show how successful the new program will be or whether the 91 people will receive addiction treatment or other aid, such as referrals to housing assistance or a homeless shelter.
In a Thursday press conference , Multnomah County officials repeatedly underscored the newness of the program and the ongoing plans to track more data on people entering and completing the program in the months ahead.
Weigh in on Oregon’s drug addiction crisis
The Oregon Capital Chronicle wants to hear from Oregonians affected by the state’s drug addiction crisis and from providers and others involved in treatment or other services.