Join us for this 24-hour event to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. We will have food, games, fun and a DJ! Blue Moonshine performs at 9:40 p.m.
It’s going to be a hot one …but we have misters, shade, and an indoor Survivors Area with gifts and much more. Dallas Ranch Middle School is located at 1401 Mt. Hamilton Drive in Antioch.
Today’s commitment by CVS, Walgreens, Teva, and Allergan is an important milestone in California’s efforts to address the opioid epidemic
OAKLAND – June 9, 2023 — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced four multi-billion opioid settlements with pharmacies CVS and Walgreens and manufacturers Allergan and Teva are moving forward. The settlements are together worth up to $17.3 billion and address the companies’ role in the opioid crisis. The Walgreens and CVS deals are the first multistate settlements to hold chain retail pharmacies to answer for their role in the crisis. Today’s announcement is an important milestone in California’s efforts to address an epidemic that has destroyed communities and ripped apart families.
“We’ve made historic strides forward in our fight for justice and relief for Californians hurt by the opioid crisis,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Nothing can bring back the lives lost or erase the suffering caused by this crisis, but we are making sure those who caused it and profited from it are held to account for their greed and willful misconduct. These hard-fought and hard-won settlement funds will be critical in supporting victims and getting them the help they need to recover. I am proud of the work put in by my team and by our partners across the nation in making these wins possible.”
Opioid manufacturers Allergan and Teva have committed to move forward with settlements for up to $2.37 billion and $4.25 billion, respectively, to resolve allegations that, among other things, the companies deceptively marketed opioids by downplaying the risks of addiction and overstating their benefits. If the settlements are approved by the court, California may receive up to approximately $375 million from the Teva settlement and up to approximately $205 million from the Allergan settlement. The settlements with the opioid manufacturers also include strong injunctive relief that prohibits opioid-related marketing by Teva while Allergan is prohibited from selling opioids for the next 10 years.
Chain pharmacies CVS and Walgreens also committed to moving forward with national settlements worth up to $5 billion and $5.7 billion, respectively, to resolve claims that the companies ignored signs of prescription abuse and failed to prevent drug diversion. If approved by the court, California may receive up to approximately $470 million from the CVS settlement and up to $510 million from the Walgreens settlement. CVS and Walgreens have also agreed to injunctive relief that requires the pharmacies to monitor, report, and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions. A final agreement with Walmart, worth up to $3.1 billion, is not being announced today; however, that settlement is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.
Since the first wave of the opioid epidemic hit the United States in 2000, it has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, torn families apart, and eroded the social fabric of communities. Its toll has continued to grow year after year. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that in 2021, more than 80,000 people may have died of overdose deaths involving opioids in the U.S., and over 11,200 of those deaths took place in California.
The opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies who helped fuel the crisis through their unlawful practices and profited from it are at the center of Attorney General Bonta’s fight for justice and relief. To date, the California Department of Justice has secured approximately $50 billion in nationwide settlements and expected settlements, including with opioid manufacturers Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt, and Purdue Pharma L.P. and the Sackler family; distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen; and consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
In March of 2022, Attorney General Bonta announced a $6 billion conditional settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family over their alleged deceptive and illegal marketing and sales practices, in an agreement that would also allow the family’s name to be removed from buildings, scholarships, and fellowships.
In February 2022, a bankruptcy court confirmed a plan that would allow an agreement between certain states, including California, and Mallinckrodt, the largest generic opioid manufacturer in the United States, to move forward. That settlement includes an expected $1.6 billion payment by the company to a trust that would benefit public and private opioid-related claimants.
In July 2021, Attorney General Bonta announced a $26 billion settlement, which was finalized in Spring 2022, with Johnson & Johnson, which manufactured and marketed opioids, and Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors. It was the second largest multistate agreement in U.S. history, and its terms bar Johnson & Johnson from being involved in selling or promoting opioids for a decade and require the distributors to monitor, report, and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid sales.
In February of 2021, the Attorney General announced a $573 million settlement with one of the world’s largest consulting firms, McKinsey & Company. The settlement resolves California’s investigation into the company’s role in advising opioid companies (including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma) in the promotion and sale of their drugs.
These settlements are expected to bring in billions in funding for California communities, which will, among other things, be used to:
Increase support for substance-use disorder facilities and improve infrastructure for treatment.
Address the needs of communities of color and vulnerable populations, including those who are unhoused.
Strengthen availability of Naloxone (also known as NARCAN) or other FDA-approved overdose reversal drugs.
Double down on interventions for drug addiction in vulnerable youth and supporting those in the juvenile justice system with treatment options.
Improve training and resources for law enforcement and first responders regarding appropriate practices and precautions when dealing with fentanyl or other drugs, including with regard to addressing the needs of criminal justice-involved persons with opioid-use disorder and mental health issues.
Implement best practices for outreach, diversion, and deflection.
Support job creation programs to help connect those recovering from substance use disorders with gainful employment and pathways to financial stability.
Improve data-sharing and management systems to detect suspicious activity, including with regard to the prescription of controlled substances.
Loneliness and isolation contribute to health risks including insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even a shorter life span.
Finding and nourishing friendship is the remedy.
By Lynn Mundell, Senior Manager, Writers and Copywriters, Kaiser Permanente
In early May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, released an advisory addressing the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” affecting the country and laying out a plan for advancing social connection.
While the news may have surprised some, Jessica Johnson, a licensed clinical social worker at the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, has seen the topic of loneliness arising more frequently in her practice.
Loneliness and isolation contribute to a range of health risks.
“Patients at our clinic are complaining of anxiety or depression, but not realizing how their basic social isolation is playing a huge part in that.”
Missing friendships
According to Johnson, the 2020 pandemic that started with shelter-in-place disrupted friendships. Over the ensuing years, people moved away, changed jobs or retired, began virtual classes and workdays, or withdrew from their social lives due to health concerns.
“As a result, people haven’t always had opportunities to build friendships or even maintain some of the friendships they already had,” she said.
Johnson said this shift has resulted in a lack of companionship for people of all ages, from new college students isolated in dorm rooms, to those working from home.
“Statistically we’ve seen that many of us really have our strongest friendships from our school days or through the workplace,” she said. “But when the pandemic hit, we lost that structure and connection.”
“Johnson added that seniors are also struggling to transition to a more virtual world, due to inexperience with technology.
“Most senior are not working anymore, and they often don’t have access to the virtual world that the rest of us do. Isolation and loneliness for them is tenfold.”
Making friendships
While it would be natural to blame the pandemic for the shift in friendships, the share of people saying they have no close friends at all went from 3 percent in 1990, to 12 percent in 2021, according to the World Economic Forum.
It may be difficult to pinpoint all of the reasons behind the decades-long decline, and instead more constructive to coach people in friendship-making. Johnson has a number of practical ideas.
Reach out
Haven’t heard from a friend in a while? Pick up the phone and say hello. Schedule regular calls with loved ones. If everyone is comfortable, schedule a trip to catch up in person. “Who in your life offers you comfort, validation, or recognition?” Johnson asked. “Those are the people to seek out.”
Take the lead
Invite a new or old friend to lunch. Organize a neighborhood block party, book group, or crafting circle. “We’re all hungry for some more social interaction,” Johnson said. “It’s OK to be the one who initiates it, because more than likely the person you’re asking is also really in need of a friend.”
Get out there
Friendships can be founded on shared interests. Take a class or volunteer in your community. After you make a new friend, initiate a coffee date. Johnson said if you have social anxiety, ask questions. “People love to talk about themselves.”
Ask for help
“Sometimes the people in your life can’t give you direction or don’t know the answers,” Johnson said. If you’re lonely and having difficulty connecting with others, she recommends support and therapy groups — another place where she has seen friendships grow.
Johnson said friendships matter, for what they do for us and for how they make us feel.
“Friends give us access to others, to resources, and to opportunities from work to dating,” she said. “We are hardwired to feel, be seen and heard, and to be valued. A good majority of our most important relationships are with our friends.”
Will pay almost $8 million for selling expired over-the-counter drugs and baby formula.
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Unit has settled a civil law enforcement action against CVS Pharmacy for selling expired over-the-counter drugs and baby formula.
The settlement is part of a multi-county enforcement action initiated by Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Fresno, Marin, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Shasta, Solano, and Yolo Counties District Attorneys’ Offices. Locally, Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney prosecuted the case against CVS Pharmacy, Inc., Longs Drug Stores California, L.L.C., and Garfield Beach CVS, L.L.C., (“CVS”).
CVS Pharmacy owns and runs pharmacies and retail stores throughout California – with 31 stores in Contra Costa County. These stores offer a variety of products such as over-the-counter drugs, food, infant formula, and baby food.
California law prohibits retailers from selling or offering for sale any over-the-counter drug that has expired. Also, food retailers in California are prohibited from selling or offering for sale any infant formula or baby food that has passed its “use by” date, as mandated by the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
The civil complaint — which was filed in Santa Cruz County Superior Court on May 9th — alleged that CVS Pharmacy has been selling expired over-the-counter drug products, as well as infant formula and baby food past their “use by” date for the past four years.
After being informed of the violation, CVS Pharmacy cooperated with authorities and acted by conducting internal checks for expired over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, and baby food that were past the “use by” date at all their retail locations in California. CVS Pharmacy also invested time and resources to retrain store personnel to verify the expiration dates of food and drug products.
It’s important to note that the investigation did not uncover any evidence that the sale of expired or past the “use by” date products resulted in harm to consumers.
Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said, “This enforcement action underscores how our work helps to protect consumers from unlawful business practices. The residents of Contra Costa County must have confidence that the products they purchase are safe and not beyond their expiration dates. This settlement shows that CVS Pharmacy understands the seriousness of the violations and has taken steps to remedy the problem.”
CVS Pharmacy agreed to abide by a court order that prohibits any further violations of California law regarding the sale or offer for sale of expired over-the-counter drugs or infant formula and baby food past their “use by” date. The agreement was made without admitting or denying any wrongdoing. As part of the judgment, CVS will pay $6,500,000 in civil penalties and investigative costs, as well as an additional $1,000,000 in restitution. The restitution amount will be contributed to various charitable organizations that serve California residents throughout the state. Locally, CVS Pharmacy will pay the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office $475,000 in civil penalties, and $19,000 to reimburse the office for prosecution costs.
Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe invites residents to the launch of the City’s non-police crisis response team. The program will be the first 24/7 crisis response team in Contra Costa County and one of few in the Bay Area.
First proposed in 2020 by District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson a pilot program was first approved on 5-0 votes of the city council in March 2021, and again in Dec. 2021. Then in Oct. 2022 the council chose the Felton Institute to operate the program at a cost of between $1.8 and $2.2 million per year, also on a 5-0 vote. (See related articles here, here and here)
Thorpe calls the program “the crown jewel of the City’s largest and most ambitious police reform efforts”.
The program’s launch will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting in the City parking lot on W. 2nd Street across from City Hall at 11 a.m.
By Antonia Ehlers, PR & Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
The Leapfrog Group’s biannual safety report gives an “A” for limiting patient injuries, reducing medical errors, and preventing infections
The Leapfrog Group recognized Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center with a top score of “A” in its biannual Hospital Safety Grades report. After reviewing hospital clinical performance, The Leapfrog Group assigned letter grades to nearly 3,000 hospitals throughout the United States. The Kaiser Medical Center on Sand Creek Road in Antioch received the same top rating for Fall 2022.
Hospitals received grades based on approximately two dozen measures that analyze patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
This spring, 17 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California received “A” scores including: Antioch, Walnut Creek, Fremont, Fresno, Manteca, Modesto, Oakland, Richmond, Roseville, San Francisco, San Leandro, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South San Francisco, Vacaville and Vallejo. Additionally, Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Redwood City, Sacramento, and San Jose received “B” scores.
More than 80% of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (17 of 21) hospitals received an “A” grade. In California overall, only 34% of the state’s hospitals earned the top grade.
“Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do,” said Chris Boyd, senior vice president and area manager of Kaiser Permanente’s Diablo Service Area. “We are honored to be recognized as a leader in patient safety, and we are incredibly proud of our health care professionals who make a difference every day.”
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, released its Hospital Safety Gradesafter examining publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors and infections at U.S. hospitals. The report includes data collected by national health care organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Scores are calculated based on more than two dozen publicly available measures, and hospitals are then assigned A, B, C, D or F grades for their safety records. The grades are released as a free resource to help patients and their families make informed health care decisions.
“Recognitions like this speak to our commitment to safety,” said Sharon Mowat, MD, physician in chief of the Antioch Medical Center. “Our goal is to provide excellent, compassionate patient care of the highest quality and safety to every patient, every day.”
Kaiser Permanente is one of America’s leading integrated health care providers and serves more than 12.6 million members. Nationally, 29 of 39 Kaiser Permanente hospitals, nearly 75% percent, received a Leapfrog Safety “A” grade. In contrast, less than 30% of the nation’s hospitals received an “A” rating.
For more information and a complete list of the hospital safety grades, visit Leapfrog.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.
