California Black Media

Commentary: It’s Time to Address the Disproportionate Impact of the Opioid Crisis on Black Californians

The opioid crisis, once perceived as predominantly affecting rural, White communities, disproportionately impacts Black Americans. This is a result of long-standing health equity barriers, documented in both local reports and federal studies. As overdoses continue to rise statewide and fentanyl continues to wreak havoc in our communities, California policymakers must take action.

Published

2 months ago

September 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Le Ondra Clark Harvey, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies and Executive Director of the California Access Coalition.

By Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Special to California Black Media Partners

As overdoses continue to rise statewide and fentanyl continues to wreak havoc in our communities, California policymakers must take action. Slight declines or plateaus are not “wins.” We need proactive, comprehensive solutions that improve education, provide wraparound services, and increased access to proven treatment methods like medication assisted treatment and overdose reversal agents.

As an advocate, psychologist, and mother of two young children, today’s fentanyl crisis is difficult to process. On one hand, I understand how challenging it can be to pass meaningful policies that will save more lives — whether those of individuals injecting drugs on sidewalks or suburban teenagers poisoned by counterfeit pills they bought on Snapchat. These challenges are compounded by critical deficits, such as workforce shortages, minimal treatment beds and facilities, and a lack of culturally competent care, all of which disproportionately affect Black Californians.

I have witnessed the devastating impact of fentanyl on Black families. These deaths shatter families, destabilize communities, and perpetuate cycles of trauma and socio-economic hardship. For Black Californians specifically, grief is compounded by helplessness and frustration, knowing that more could – and should – have been done to prevent these tragedies.

As I sit in numerous health policy workgroups, task forces, and legislative hearings, I hear policymakers request more studies to better understand how vulnerable communities are impacted. This is critical, and it is not enough.

We don’t have time to waste.

Naloxone, a well-known opioid reversal medication, has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. However, as the opioid landscape evolves, so too must our response. California must adopt flexible policies that evolve with the rapidly changing drug landscape. We cannot rely on outdated, product-specific policies when the illicit drug landscape is changing faster than we can blink.

Efforts to do just that at the statewide level have been aggressively rebuffed by the Administration. Last year, Senate Bill 641, authored by Sen. Richard Roth (D-Riverside) would have expanded California’s statewide standing order for naloxone to encompass all FDA-approved opioid reversal agents. It passed out of the Legislature unanimously, yet Governor Newsom vetoed the bill.

Several months after the veto, Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, (D-Delano), a physician who treats substance use disorder (SUD), led a sign-on letter among her colleagues calling on the California Department of Public Health to update the statewide standing order to no avail.

Fortunately, Los Angeles County has stepped up in the absence of statewide legislation being signed into law.

For decades, Dr. Brian Hurley, Medical Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, has taken a comprehensive approach to addressing substance use disorder.

He has increased access to proven treatment models and implemented innovative initiatives to save lives. His department’s efforts have contributed to the plateau in overdose rates, and we hope to see further improvement through the expanded standing orders for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the LA County Sheriff’s Department, ensuring access to all FDA-approved reversal agents.

The time for action is now. With a united and informed approach, we can turn the tide on the devastating impact of opioid overdoses in Black communities.

About the Author

Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey is the Chief Executive Officer of the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies and Executive Director of the California Access Coalition.

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

6 days ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

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Business

Sacramento Kings and Black-Owned Digital License Plate Firm Enter History-Making Partnership

Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston attended the Sacramento Kings’ season opener at Golden 1 Center, witnessing players debut the company’s patch. Reviver proudly supports the Sacramento Kings’ community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media (CBM).

Published

1 week ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston attended the Sacramento Kings' season opener at Golden 1 Center, witnessing players debut the company's patch. Reviver proudly supports the Sacramento Kings' community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media (CBM).

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

Reviver, the world’s first digital license plate and connected vehicle platform, has entered into a history-making jersey patch partnership with the Sacramento Kings, team officials announced right before the team’s season opener on Oct. 24.

The collaboration establishes Reviver as the first Black-founded technology jersey patch partner in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Reviver logo now appears on the left front strap of Kings’ uniforms.

Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston was in attendance to see the company’s patch worn by the Kings, during a game with the Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.

“It was an absolutely amazing night. More than I ever expected,” Boston told California Black Media (CBM). “The Sacramento Kings have been incredible. On a national, and maybe a worldwide level, this partnership raises the profile of Reviver with the assistance of (Kings chairman and CEO) Vivek Ranadivé and the Kings.”

According to the Kings’ brass, Reviver, supported by the Black Star Fund, a Black-led venture capital firm based in Sacramento, is now an official “innovation partner” of the Kings and Golden 1 Center; a presenting partner of “Capitalize Technology,” a King’s corporate social investment initiative; and the exclusive digital license plate of the Sacramento Kings.

Headquartered in Granite Bay, a suburb of Sacramento, Reviver was born from a vision to modernize and streamline the vehicle registration renewal process. On Jan. 1, 2023, the state of California joined Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, and Arizona as states that have approved digital license plates for use statewide, after Reviver completed a four-year pilot program that evaluated a replacement for metal plates.

About 10,000 California drivers bought digital plates during the pilot program. Vehicles registered with the state are eligible to adopt the new high-tech tags. Reviver existence was made possible when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 984 in September 2022.

Under that law, California vehicle owners can update their titles, registrations, and other records remotely. In addition, the digital license “RPlate” includes a flashing message if a vehicle is reported stolen or if there is an Amber Alert.

Ranadivé is spreading the news that Reviver has international potential.

“This jersey patch partnership with Reviver continues the Kings long tradition of using our global platform to promote innovation and technology,” Ranadivé stated. “It’s particularly exciting to showcase a homegrown company that was part of our Kings Capitalize program. This is just the beginning of our work together, and we look forward to helping Reviver in its mission to modernize the driving experience.”

The commercial use of patches in professional basketball all began in 2009 when the Women’s Basketball Association (WNBA) Phoenix Mercury removed its name to replace it with sponsor, LifeLock, an identity-theft protection company. The landmark deal netted a contract worth about $1 million annually.

Kindra Montgomery-Block, vice president of diversity, equity, and social impact for the Sacramento Kings, was the integral facilitator who assisted Boston and his team in connecting with the sports franchise that is boasting 40 years in the Capital City.

“This partnership between the Kings and Reviver, backed by the Black Star Fund, will invest in the Sacramento community to promote technology and innovation in the region,” Montgomery-Block stated. “Reviver will support the Sacramento Kings community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”

Editor’s Note: Neville Boston is a California Black Media board member.

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Bay Area

Poll Shows Strong Support for California’s Controversial Prop 36 Crime Initiative

A recent poll showed that a majority of California voters back Proposition 36, which aims to increase penalties for certain theft and drug-related crimes, according to a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The poll came out last week as opponents of the proposition began a last-ditch push against the initiative in major metropolitan areas across California.

Published

1 week ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The poll came out last week as opponents of the proposition began a last-ditch push against the initiative in major metropolitan areas across California.

“As the 2024 campaign heads into its final days, The No on 36 Campaign is targeting voters in Los Angeles and the Bay Area with a series of new billboards urging voters to reject the cynical, misleading measure on the November ballot,” read a press release from a coalition of opponents to the measure.

The PPIC survey showed that 73% of likely voters support the measure, up from 71% in September, with only 25% opposing the ballot measure.

This makes Prop 36 the most popular of the ten statewide issues on the ballot this fall, with 28% of voters indicating it is their top priority.

The emphasis on crime as a key campaign issue is partially driven by the pandemic-related rise in certain offenses. However, prominent Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have expressed concerns about reverting to harsher crime policies.

Other ballot measures are also performing well according to the PPIC poll. Proposition 3, which seeks to remove outdated language banning same-sex marriage from the state constitution, has garnered 67% support. Proposition 35, aimed at making a tax on specific healthcare plans permanent to fund Medi-Cal, has over 60% approval.

Among the two $10 billion bond measures, Proposition 4, focused on climate and water projects, has strong backing at 60%, while Proposition 2, for school construction, has a narrower margin of support at 52%.

Several other measures, including Proposition 33 on rent control, are trailing, with only 42% supporting the initiative. Proposition 6, which seeks to ban forced prison labor, is currently the least favored, with just 41 percent in favor.

In the presidential race, more than half of survey participants stated that they plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in comparison to Donald Trump.

The PPIC poll surveyed 1,137 likely voters from October 7 to 15, with a margin of error of less than 4%.