During Tuesday’s Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting, Matt Plummer will introduce a resolution to establish a “Recovery First” policy that places long-term recovery as the guiding priority for county funded programs for substance use disorder, behavioral health, public health, and homelessness. Many public policy experts have for decades advocated a “housing first” model that presumes recovery is best achieved with a stable residential foundation. Earlier this year, San Francisco moved closer to adopting a “recovery first” drug policy that sets abstinence from illicit drugs as its primary goal. Harm reduction advocates argued that promoting abstinence will alienate people for whom quitting is not an immediate choice.But others said government needs to emphasize treatment and counseling options.The Shasta County resolution recognizes substance use disorder as a chronic but treatable medical condition.
-Steve Gibson