Nehring: It’s time to change county policy to better serve us all
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Nate Nehring
The tragedy of drug addiction and overdose deaths continues to plague Snohomish County and the broader region. This is one of the most complex challenges facing local governments, and the primary response occurs at the county and city level.
I have had the opportunity on several occasions to join our social workers – who are embedded with law enforcement officers – and witness firsthand their day-to-day work in this area. These teams work tirelessly to connect those who are living on our streets and struggling with an addiction or mental health disorder (or a combination of the two) with life-saving drug treatment and other critical services.
A pervasive narrative suggests that homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health disorders are not interconnected. The former King County Executive illustrated this viewpoint when he argued it was “wrong” to believe substance abuse and mental health disorders are root causes of homelessness, instead citing “housing market failure” as the primary cause.
While homelessness can stem from other circumstances such as financial hardship or domestic violence, the evidence shows that a significant proportion of those who are living on the streets (particularly the visible homelessness we see) are struggling with an underlying addiction or behavioral health disorder.
Housing is undeniably a critical component of recovery, but it should not be viewed as the finish line. If our only metric for evaluating success is determining how many individuals are housed – without considering whether they continue their substance abuse or are progressing toward recovery and stability – then we are missing the mark.
Prevalent policies such as “housing first” and “harm reduction,” while well-intended, do not appear to be solving the problem. In some cases, these policies even enable behaviors such as drug consumption. It is well past time for a change.
That is why earlier this week, I introduced a suite of legislation at the Snohomish County Council focused on addressing drug addiction, expanding access to behavioral health treatment, and ensuring county resources are aligned with accountability and recovery-oriented outcomes. Together, these four proposals would shift county policy to better serve the community and improve health and safety for residents and neighbors who are most in need.
The first proposal would prevent the County from incentivizing county-funded housing programs to adhere to strict “Housing First” policies and instead level the playing field for entities which prioritize accountability. The Housing First model does not require participation in a treatment program and has not consistently produced positive long-term outcomes for individuals or the broader community, particularly in light of the fentanyl crisis we are experiencing on our streets. By allowing greater flexibility and opening the door to innovative programs which balance compassion with accountability, this proposal aims to improve outcomes from programs funded with taxpayer dollars.
The second proposal would increase the share of funding from the County’s Affordable Housing and Behavioral Health (AHBH) Fund directed toward behavioral health facilities. Currently, $3 million annually (only 12.2% of these funds) are allocated to behavioral health facilities. The proposal would increase that share to 20%. This shift would expand capacity for treatment, recovery, and stabilization services to better address substance abuse and mental health challenges.
The third proposal would prohibit local taxpayer dollars from being used to purchase and distribute drug paraphernalia. This ordinance is intended to ensure that county government does not facilitate activities that enable ongoing drug abuse. Instead, county policy would be focused on treatment, recovery, and accountability.
The fourth and final proposal is based off the City of Everett’s recent child fentanyl exposure law and would criminalize the exposure of minors to deadly drugs such as fentanyl. State law criminalizes this same offense, but only for exposure to methamphetamine. Local governments around the state are now taking action to address child fentanyl exposure.
If we are to make meaningful progress on the complex and interconnected issues of homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health, we must chart a path forward which balances compassion with accountability. My hope is that these pieces of legislation, if enacted into law, will reduce drug addiction and overdose deaths and increase the number of individuals who are able to enter recovery and live the dignified life they deserve.
Nate Nehring serves as the District 1 representative on the Snohomish County Council. Nate and his wife, Savannah, live in Arlington where they are raising their family.
