opioid settlement documents

In response to a sharp rise in fentanyl-related overdoses, Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) launched a time-limited, emergency Operations Plan under a Fentanyl Executive Order (May 2024–May 2026). This evaluation plan outlines how WCHCS will assess the implementation and impact of that plan—focusing on whether strategies were carried out as intended, what adjustments were made along the way, and how lessons can inform future public health efforts.

Whatcom County Health and Community Services’ (WCHCS) stated purpose is to promote health through policy and systems improvement, prevent disease and injury, provide accurate and reliable health communication, prepare for and respond to emergencies, and preserve a healthy community where everyone can thrive. To that end, WCHCS plays a central role in community-wide planning around emergency threats to human health and the natural environment.

This Operations Plan describes how WCHCS has and will provide leadership, in coordination with the Whatcom County Council and Whatcom County Executive, to address the fentanyl/overdose crisis our community is experiencing. This document should be considered a thumbnail sketch of key priorities for WCHCS in the coming 3-6 months, as well as additional strategies within and beyond a year of this plan’s release. The plan will be updated and revised as more information becomes available.

Opioid settlement funding will be received by eligible government entities over a multi-year period.  In preparation, extensive engagement of key stakeholders and the broader community took place in Whatcom County to assess local needs and gaps and to identify priorities for potential services and strategies.  Planning relied on a comprehensive review of needs and services across the Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Aftercare (PITA) continuum of care.

The Whatcom County Opioid Task Force was convened in 2016 and supported ongoing opioid mitigation work, and in the past couple of years local efforts have grown to include a Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group and large scale community planning events, such as All Hands Whatcom.  All of these efforts continue to provide opportunities for public engagement in opioid response efforts.