About Us

This website is intended to be a central location for the people and businesses of Whatcom County to access resources and information about overdose prevention and the opioid crisis. 

Multiple organizations and programs have been working on all aspects of substance use prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery for many years, but with limited collaboration with one another. In the summer of 2023, local leaders recognized that a multi-agency approach to drug overdose prevention was needed. This website is a product of the Whatcom County Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) Group. 

MAC group organizations come from government, healthcare, fire and emergency medical services, law enforcement, school districts, substance use disorder treatment and prevention providers, social services, and other community partners who work with individuals and families impacted by the recent rise in opioid usage and deaths.

Mission

The mission of the MAC Group is to coordinate the ongoing community-wide response efforts to the opioid crisis, identify and prioritize additional short-term objectives and strategies to reduce drug-related deaths, and mitigate the impacts on property and public safety in Whatcom County. 

Our local efforts will align with those outlined in the Washington State Opioid and Overdose Response Plan: 

• Goal 1 – Prevent opioid and other drug misuse
• Goal 2 – Identify and treat opioid misuse and stimulant use disorder
• Goal 3 – Ensure and improve the health and wellness of people who use opioids and other drugs
• Goal 4 – Use data and information to detect opioid misuse, monitor drug user health effects, analyze population health, and evaluate interventions
• Goal 5 – Support individuals in recovery