((PKG)) PHILADELPHIA: THE FINAL CHAPTER
((Banner:
The
Living America’s Opioid Nightmare))
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More than 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses.
VOA looks at three stories from the epidemic))
((Banner: Philadelphia – The Final Chapter))
((Producers: Chris Simkins, Jeff Swicord, Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Camera: Jeff Swicord, Chris Simkins, Mike Burke, Marcus Harton))
((Map: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania))
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((Locator: Frankford Avenue Underpass, Kensington, Pennsylvania))
((NATS))
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Eviction day on Frankford Avenue, to me was actually really surreal. To be able to walk underneath there with no one there. There was no tents. There was no sign of life other than the city and the officials and the people who were there cleaning up.
((Inspector Raymond Convery, Commanding Officer, East Philadelphia Police Division))
Everybody voluntarily left. We didn't have to force anybody out. They all left by themselves. A couple went to shelter. A couple went over to the next encampment. A couple just scattered into the neighborhood, so….
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
When you’re down here almost every day for so many months, and this is a community, and all of a sudden you come down and there is nothing here, it hits you a little bit, you know, makes you think, “Where, where are they are all going to be tonight?” So, I wish I had the answers. I wish somebody had the answers to that. I’m not quite sure they have the answers to where they’re going to be tonight.
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((Locator: Emerald Avenue Underpass, Kensington, Pennsylvania))
((NATS))
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Everything that was going through my mind that day of the eviction at Frankford, then heading over to Emerald, just everything that I had experienced. To be able to see Eric at that point in time, my jaw dropped. I was a little confused. I knew right away that it wasn’t a positive reason for that we were seeing him there.
((Eric, Recovering Addict))
They found K2 on my roommate. He was throwing it out. We found it, we were throwing it out, right, because we didn't want to deal with more s****. And they walked in and he just, he handed it to her and they threw us both out. All that work I did, for nothing.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Eric being kicked out of his rehab, I could say I'm angry, yes. I'm angry when things like that happen. I'm angry at the system. I'm angry, maybe, at the person because of, maybe, what would’ve lead them to that point.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Here’s a pop up cabana style. Here’s one blanket for now. You guys, share with that, and I will get you back out.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
I can't just stop caring or giving to somebody in need because I'm disappointed or I'm frustrated. The last time you looked in their eyes, you saw happiness and you saw joy and you saw a different person than the look in their eyes this time and to see somebody who was scared, who was confused.
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((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
((Eric, Recovering Addict))
((NATS))
Britt: When I found out that Eric had taken ill and ended up in the hospital….
Eric: There he is.
Britt: Hey, how are you?
Eric: I’m good.
Britt: Good.
Britt: I was concerned, because I knew that he was back on the streets. That's not a place for anybody to be ill.
Britt: So, what’s going on?
Eric: Well, I’m in the hospital. I got an infection in my buttocks and close to my spine.
Britt: His health wasn't the best prior to him leaving the streets the first time.
Britt: So, you went back and were using the K2, was what really brought this whole thing, like the whole house of cards down.
Eric: Well, loyalty to my homeboy is what brought the whole house of cards down, really.
Britt: What did you, how did you, what did you get out of that? What did you think about that? Like, that loyalty, that….
Eric: Listen, man. Loyalty to a fault. Look, I’m a Leo….
Britt: Well, so you’re loyal to a fault. And that’s a good thing and I get it….
Eric: I’m actually a Leo, Leo, Scorpio, and Poppy’s my flower.
Britt: That’s a heck of a flower.
Eric: Right?
Britt: Yeah. But, you know, I just, I look at it because, like, I used to be that person, like, I always wanted to be there for everybody and appease everybody and make sure everybody was cohesive, and that’s very common for even myself. It's so easy for me to help all my friends, help anybody who needs it. And then I always tend to, like, neglect myself.
Eric: Right.
Britt: And I kept ending up in the same vicious cycle. It was almost like insanity, you know, repeating. You know, you’re such a good person. You are good hearted, but what's it going to take for you to do for you, so you don't keep going into this vicious cycle?
((Eric, Recovering Addict))
Well, I figured if I really, really want to help people, then I got to get me through this and together, so I can help people.
Britt: You can't help anybody until you help yourself first. That's that old adage that everybody knows and I'm glad to hear you say it. I hope you do it because you deserve it.
Eric: Words are words, actions are actions.
Britt: But, you deserve it though, don’t you?
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((Locator: Philadelphia Resilience Project))
((NATS))
Resilience Project Member: Clearing encampments and meeting the short-term goals. To date, we’ve cleared the Frankford Avenue encampment and helped individuals residing in the navigation center to create housing plans. We started outreach to clear Emerald Street encampment….
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
It's really interesting to see how the city has changed wheels a little bit from the last evictions. I believe that they've learned. I believe that they stepped up their outreach a little bit. I don't believe that they've done everything to a 100 percent level.
((Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia))
I just want to thank everyone for all your hard work and your patience. This has been, perhaps, one of the most seemingly overwhelming crises that this city has ever faced.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Mayor Kenney seems to really want to get this crisis under control. He's doing the best, I believe, he can at this stage with what he's working with.
((Jim Kenney, Mayor, Philadelphia))
These are all human beings, despite their addiction, despite what they’re sometimes putting a neighbor through. I'm of strong belief that everyone can find a way back, and there's no throwaway people.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
One thing we're still lacking is beds. There aren't enough beds in this city to cover the Frankford Avenue encampment, let alone once, once they get to Emerald.
MC: Thank you, Mayor. We are opening up for any questions that anyone may have in the audience.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
My name’s Britt Carpenter. At the last meeting, it was presented, Councilman Squilla, you had asked about the order being put in for January 15th and you addressed it to Liz Hersh and at that point in time, her response was, “Where are we going to put them? We don't have any beds. If you find us beds, we can do this.” Now you're saying that the order’s in for the end of January. What has changed since then??
((Brian Abernathy, Managing Director))
So, I think we have been able to identify a number of beds, winter beds that have come online. Our teams have been at work diligently to address that very issue. So, it is about looking at current resources, redeploying resources, and I think we are close to identifying that navigation center that we hopefully will have open by the end of January as well.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Thank you.
Neighbor: I’m glad that you’re here, Mayor Kenney. I want to go back to the comprehensive user engagement, safe injection sites.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Mayor Kenney needs to understand that it can't be a quick fix. It's going to take six months and then re-evaluate where we are in this process.
((Jim Kenney, Mayor, Philadelphia))
However, as you know, we’ve lost over 1,200 people last year and the year before, and 900 the year before that. So, it’s been, it’s in the discussion phase, with a group of people who have an interest in saving people’s lives. That’s where we are at right now.
MC: Thank you, Roz.
Neighbor: Alright, thank you.
MC: We have room for one last person. Thank you for waiting so patiently.
Neighbor: And my question is this….
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((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
Being able to return to visit Kelly in her new apartment was really a great feeling, knowing how difficult it's been for her to get off the streets and into housing. I'm thrilled. I’m ecstatic.
((NATS))
Britt: A friend of mine left this for you.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
I've had people reach out to me and ask what she needed and I had somebody bring a wrapped Christmas gift over for her. And, to see her face light up, to see that there was people out there who cared that she didn't even know.
((NATS))
((Kelly, Addicted to Heroin))
Hey, socks!!
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
….makes it all worthwhile.
((NATS))
Britt: So, how's it been going?
Kelly: It's going. It's an adjustment in a lot of ways. It's very quiet in here.
Britt: Yeah?
Kelly: Which is quite different than the, you know, having to scream at a person that's as close as you are.
Britt: Or traffic passing by, people beeping....
Kelly: Oh my God, the people beeping….
Britt: How are you adjusting to the quiet?
Kelly: I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing a car horn.
Britt: So, you started the methadone clinic end of November, near Thanksgiving?
Kelly: Yeah, exactly.
Britt: How are you feeling?
Kelly: I feel alright. It's a little frustrating, like, I missed, I missed, like, every couple of days, I miss a day which screws with them bringing your dose up.
Britt: Are you still using while on methadone?
Kelly: Yes.
Britt: You are. What's the reasoning behind that for you?
Kelly: Just to feel normal.
Britt: Okay.
Kelly: It's not, I’m not going out to get high. It's, I'll sit there and wait until I'm not feeling good. Before, I don't just go get it to have it on hand, just in case.
Britt: What do you think it's going to take for you to not have to go and use? Or go to pick something up and just continue with the methadone and work on your wellness that way?
Kelly: More stable dose.
Britt: What's the best thing about living on your own?
Kelly: None of the a**holes that I lived under that bridge with….
Britt: Can I tell you….?
Kelly: I don't hear my name every 30 seconds.
Britt: But, can I tell you something? That was one of the things that was keeping you there for awhile.
Kelly: Yeah, I know. I, like, you know, couldn't stop mothering them all.
Britt: What do you want for Kelly in six months? Big difference. What do you want for yourself, your long term? What do you want to work on?
Kelly: It's more like, coping skills, because I just always got high. If I was happy, I got high. If I was sad, I got high. If I was mad, I got high.
Britt: You were masking.
Kelly: That was how I dealt with everything. When, when emotions, you know, small things, like, whatever, I can handle that. But when it was something that was an intense emotion, it was a reason to get high.
Britt: Well, guess what. I'm really glad you are where you are, because you deserve it. You've taken care of so many other people that it's time to take care of yourself, and I'm loving this.
Kelly: Me too.
Britt: I love you. You’re just amazing. You know that? Look at you smile.
Kelly: My toothless smile.
Britt: C’mon, give me a hug. You make me laugh.
Britt: Stay with it.
Kelly: I will. I will.
((Britt Carpenter, Philly Unknown Project))
The mess that has been created here over the years is going to take a lot more time to clean up. We need more people who have a voice in our community and in our society and more people to speak up and more people to spread awareness. We need to focus on working to save lives and that's going to take time. I believe that our work is just getting started.
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Living with America’s Opioid Nightmare will conclude on VOA Connect in the weeks to come))
