Title
Consider Directing Staff to Review Offering Free Narcan Vending Machines. (Councilmember Herrera Spencer)
Body
COUNCIL REFERRAL FORM
The Council can take any of the following actions:
1) Take no action.
2) Refer the matter to staff to schedule as a future City Council agenda item. Concurrence that staff time will be devoted to the item does not signify approval.
3) Take dispositive action only on time sensitive legislative matters if sufficiently noticed such that the public and Council have been provided sufficient information by the published agenda, and no formal published notice of a public hearing is required.
Name of Councilmember(s) requesting referral: Councilmember Herrera Spencer
Date of submission to City Clerk (must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday two weeks before the Council meeting requested): 1/3/2023
Council Meeting date: 1/17/2023
Brief description of the subject to be printed on the agenda, sufficient to inform the City Council and public of the nature of the referral:
Narcan is a drug used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Free Narcan vending machines are already in use and in high demand in other cities across the country, in order to give the public free access with low barriers to this potentially life-saving medication. The vending machines are used as a new weapon to help fight opioid addiction. I think Alameda should seriously consider joining other cities offering free Narcan vending machines and consider working with partners such as Alameda Family Services, Alameda Health Systems and Alameda Unified School District.
<https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-county-deploying-free-narcan-vending-machines-to-help-combat-opioid-epidemic/3007189/>
<https://www.axios.com/2022/01/11/narcan-vending-machines-installed-across-us-to-fight-opioid-crisis>
<https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/kern-county-libraries-offer-free-narcan/>
<https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/kern-county-library-southwest-branch-runs-out-of-free-narcan>
<https://www.wsj.com/articles/vending-machines-dispense-narcan-to-reverse-opioid-overdoses-11669003881>
<https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/narcan-vending-machines-pierce-county/281-d1f2f41a-3a05-4078-9734-0d20b89c0e7d>
<https://www.wftv.com/news/trending/health-system-installs-free-narcan-vending-machines/LZIA75UM65H4TH5VVANYKDK4BY/>
<https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/first-narcan-vending-machine-in-ky-emptied-out-just-one-day-after-opening-kentucky-nalaoxone-overdose-vine-grove-opioid>
Thank you for your consideration.
The City Council, at its July 25, 2020 Priority Setting Workshop, established the following 5 priorities for 2021:
1. Preparing Alameda for the future
2. Encouraging economic development across the Island
3. Supporting enhanced livability and quality of life, including addressing the housing crisis and homelessness
4. Protecting core services
5. Ensuring effective and efficient operations
Briefly describe which Council priority the subject falls under and how it relates:
3. Supporting enhanced livability and quality of life, including addressing the housing crisis and homelessness