Five North King County Cities Launch Collaborative Crisis Response Program (Re-Air)
Release Date: 10/25/2024
Harm Reduction Approach Vital for Addressing Opioid Crisis, Says Expert (Re-Air)
Hacks & Wonks
On this topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Everett Maroon, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, for a conversation about their work in Southeast Washington using a harm reduction philosophy to support people, stabilize lives, & promote health and wellness in the community. Crystal and Everett chat about how the opioid epidemic has impacted rural communities, the role that stigma plays in keeping people from the help they need, what harm reduction is and why it is important. They then review the recent roller coaster ride of Washington state’s substance use disorder...
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Denver's STAR Program Offers Promising Alternative Response to Mental Health and Substance Use Crises (Re-Air)
Hacks & Wonks
On this topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Evan Thompkins, STAR Program Specialist with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, and Stephanie Van Jacobs, Program Manager at WellPower! The STAR program offers a promising alternative response to mental health and substance use crises, providing individuals with the support and resources they need while reducing the burden on traditional police response. With strong community support and a commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Denver residents, the STAR program is poised to continue making a positive impact on the lives...
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King County's Community-Led Approach Showing Promise in Combating Gun Violence (Re-Air)
Hacks & Wonks
On this topical show re-air, Eleuthera Lisch, director of the King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, joins Crystal for a conversation about curbing youth gun violence using community-based approaches with violence interrupters. Encouraging early data from the program indicates fewer youth involved in shootings, fewer re-hospitalizations after gun injuries, less shoplifting near outreach, and 400+ high-risk youth mentored. Transcript and resources: Follow us on Bluesky at and on X (formerly Twitter) at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and X at ....
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Children's Alliance Director Highlights Critical Importance of Affordable, High-Quality Childcare (Re-Air)
Hacks & Wonks
On this Tuesday topical show re-air, Crystal welcomes Dr. Stephan Blanford, Executive Director of Children’s Alliance, for a wide-ranging conversation on childcare. They delve into the importance of childcare as an economic driver and its societal impacts through preparing kids for success in school and life. A review of the state of childcare in Washington reveals that this critical resource is often out-of-reach for those who need it most and looks at the factors that make it inaccessible and expensive. Crystal and Dr. Blanford then discuss how various stakeholders can make an impact on...
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Week in Review: December 6, 2024 - with Robert Cruickshank
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 😖 Morales bullied out of office ✋ Rinck sworn in 🙅 SPS recall effort shut down 🔥 KC Exec race heats up 🤓 Final precinct data & election thoughts 💚 Green Jacket Lady is back! As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at .
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Tacoma's Guaranteed Income Pilot Yields Positive Results
Hacks & Wonks
A groundbreaking guaranteed income pilot program in Tacoma, Washington has not only demonstrated positive economic impacts but also challenged long-held misconceptions about poverty and cash assistance. The Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT) program, which provided $500 monthly payments to 110 families, is helping reshape traditional narratives that have long portrayed poverty as a result of personal failings or suggested that direct cash assistance leads to dependency. Join Crystal for a conversation about guaranteed income and GRIT with Sukhi Samra, Executive Director of Mayors for a...
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Week in Review: November 22, 2024 - with Erica Barnett
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss: 🧮 Seattle budget and amendments 🙅 County rejects Rivera’s proposal for sobering center 👨⚖️ Sal Mungia wins open Supreme Court seat 🗳️ Reichert concedes ⚔️ How WA electeds will take on Trump admin As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at and on .
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Public Defense Crisis Deepens as Caseloads Overwhelm System, Supreme Court Weighs Reform
Hacks & Wonks
Jason Schwarz, Director of the Snohomish County Office of Public Defense and the Chair of Washington's Council on Public Defense, talks about new public defender caseload standards under consideration by the Washington Supreme Court to address the state's public defense crisis. The combination of public defenders working under decades-old caseload standards and lack of state funding have led to massive delays and staff exodus, creating an urgent need for reform to ensure justice for defendants, victims, and the community at large. As always, a full text transcript of the show is...
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Week in Review: November 15, 2024 - with Katie Wilson
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Katie Wilson discuss: 📈 Minimum wage increases for the win 🙄 More Burien shenanigans 💰 JumpStart raid 💲 Seattle progressive revenue proposals 🚋 Saka💔Streetcar 🏁 King County Exec race begins 👀 Upcoming appointments As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Follow us on Bluesky at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at and find today’s co-host, Katie Wilson, on Twitter/X at , as well as the Transit Riders Union at .
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Week in Review: November 8, 2024 - with Robert Cruickshank
Hacks & Wonks
On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 😭 Presidential election 🥳 Washington election results 🤓 What that means for how Washington Democrats will need to govern moving forward As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at . Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter/X at and find today’s co-host, Robert Cruickshank at .
info_outlineOn this Tuesday topical show re-air, Crystal learns about north King County’s innovative new Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency with its inaugural Executive Director Brook Buettner and Kenmore Mayor Nigel Herbig. Following national guidelines and best practices for behavioral health crisis care, a five-city consortium established RCR in 2023 as part of a vision to provide their region with the recommended continuum of behavioral health care - which includes someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.
Executive Director Buettner and Mayor Herbig share how the program grew out of a need for a person-centered mobile crisis response, rather than the traditional law enforcement response which is often without the right tools or expertise for the job. They describe the collaborative process of getting buy-in from police agencies, electeds, and city staff to design a service that has evolved from the RADAR co-response program to approaching a 24/7 behavioral health first response. Finally, they cover impressive early results in cost-savings & outcomes and offer advice to other cities looking to bring similar solutions to their own communities.
As always, a full text transcript of the show and resources is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com.
Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky @finchfrii and find Mayor Nigel Herbig on X at @nigelherbig.
Brook Buettner
Brook Buettner is inaugural Executive Director of the groundbreaking Regional Crisis Response Agency, which deploys services to people experiencing behavioral health crisis in the North King County community. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an experienced human services professional with a focus on policy advocacy and program implementation for high-needs populations. During her two decade-long career, she has been focused on transforming systems to meet the needs of individuals who are high utilizers of both criminal legal and health and human services systems. Ms. Buettner holds Masters in Public Administration and Social Work from the University of Washington.
Mayor Nigel Herbig
Nigel grew up in the Seattle neighborhood of Wallingford, attended Seattle Public Schools, and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science and Comparative Religion. Nigel and his wife, Tiffany, decided to move to Kenmore when their daughter was a baby as they were looking for a great place to raise their daughter where they could purchase their first home. They have never regretted that decision.
Nigel has worked in broadcasting, fundraising, and politics. He currently works at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
Mayor Herbig represents the Council on the Eastside Transportation Partnership (Vice Chair), and the Sound Transit SR 522 Bus Rapid Transit Elected Leaders Group. He also sits on the King County Affordable Housing Committee.