SPONSORED SPECIAL SECTION CP DAAC
Vehicle for change Through free safety products and mobile emergency units, Center Point DAAC is bringing life-saving opioid treatment to those in crisis By Rosie Padilla W hen a man suffering from a fentanyl-related emergency sought help near Center Point DAAC's Santa Rosa recovery center, staff quickly sprang
into action. According to employees, the man and a friend had been using opioids nearby when one of them suffered a potentially fatal overdose. Knowing the nonprofit provided free Narcan, the survivor ran across the parking lot seeking assistance. According to DAAC employees, the man and a friend had been nearby taking opioids when the friend suffered a potentially fatal overdose. Knowing DAAC provides free life- saving Narcan, the man sprinted across the lot to the recovery center, which administered the medication known to reverse the effects of a fentanyl overdose. The incident illustrates both the growing prevalence of fentanyl in Sonoma County and the critical role harm-reduction tools such as Narcan play in preventing overdose deaths. According to county data released in August 2025, an average of 12 people die of drug overdose each month in Sonoma County. Statewide, there were 486 drug overdose deaths in June alone—with 231 of those being a direct result of fentanyl, according to the California Department of Public Health. Counties are responsible for notifying local
By meeting people where they are, Center Point DAAC's Mobile Health Clinic expands access to care for individuals who may otherwise face barriers to treatment and support.
recovery centers, as well as the general public, when they identify notable drug-related warning statistics. And in the first two weeks of June 2025 there were twice the number of overdoses than are normally reported. Health professionals note that sudden increases in overdoses can sometimes indicate unusually potent batches of fentanyl circulating in the community or the presence of fentanyl mixed into other substances without users' knowledge. County data shows that although overdose death rates for men and women fell to 22.4 per 100,000 residents
has seen an overall increase in fentanyl deaths of 900% since 2018. The report highlights the Russian River area as the local region hardest hit by opioid overdoses, and notes that people experiencing homelessness represent roughly 10% of all OD deaths, despite making up only about 1% of the county’s population. In August 2025, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved $5 million in opioid settlement funds for substance use disorder projects, awarding 10% to DAAC to expand its Wellness on Wheels (WOW) program—a mobile unit for bringing life-saving treatment to those without means of transportation to DAAC’s Santa Rosa treatment center. This van delivers health and safety products to rural areas of the community including food, water, hygiene products and STD prevention items. Beyond the WOW vehicle, Center Point DAAC also has a mobile care clinic, which provides Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), a withdrawal management regimen. Helmed by Dr. Marie Mulligan, this mobile unit provides items such as safe needles and Narcan. Introduced in March, the MAT mobile unit expands access to potentially life-saving treatment to individuals across Sonoma County no matter their location or circumstances— particularly important in treating opioid
between 2022 and 2024, the numbers remain higher than before the pandemic and nearly match averages across the state, which
Recovery is a lifelong journey, strengthened by access to treatment, support and community
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