Manny’s: SFC Live: Chronicle Live: How Do We Solve the Overdose Crisis?

In July 2023, 71 people died of accidental drug overdoses in San Francisco. That’s more than two people every single day, a small glimpse of an epidemic that has spread across the country and cost more than a million lives.

Drug overdoses, largely driven by viciously powerful fentanyl, are the great public health crisis facing the U.S. today.

So, how do we solve it?

The San Francisco Chronicle has launched a first-of-its-kind tracker on overdose deaths nationwide. Now, we’re assembling a panel of doctors, recovery counselors and other people on the front lines of the crisis to share their suggestions of concrete steps at the local, state and federal levels that would make a meaningful difference in addressing this emergency — in a week, a month or a year.

Join The Chronicle and special guests live at Manny’s on September 21 at 6 p.m. for a conversation about what it will take to end overdose deaths in San Francisco.

Get your tickets today!

You’ll hear from:

Dr. Lee Trope is a pediatric hospitalist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. She directs an inpatient program that seeks to start teens with opioid use disorder on medication-assisted treatment.

Charis Baz stands for autonomy, respect, equity and compassion for herself and others. Her favorite thing is leading big change work in partnership with diverse staff at all levels across organizations and with community. She believes trust is what makes everything possible. Currently, she works for Marin County Health and Human Services where she co-led an innovation project with Lisa-Marie Riley and others that turned into the Seeds of Hope: a program to increase connection in the homelessness community to reduce deaths related to alcohol and other drugs.

Lisa-Marie Riley joined Marin’s Seeds of Hope team to give back what has been given to her and make the behavioral health system better. Lots of her loved ones have been plagued by mental health and substance use challenges, and she has been sharing her story to spread the belief that recovery is possible. Her hope is that she can help be a part of changing the system for the better, and to do that, she is pursuing a path of peer specialist certification. Lisa-Marie values integrity and compassion. She believes collaboration is the way to bridge the communication gaps between organizations and the people whose voices are not heard.

Chronicle Live at Manny’s is a monthly series of conversations featuring Chronicle journalists discussing the most pressing issues in the Bay Area and having a little fun along the way.

Manny’s never turns away someone due to lack of funds. If you need a complimentary ticket, please email the title of the event and the word “grapefruit” to angelina@welcometomannys.com.

Want to support community members? By purchasing a “Pay It Forward” ticket you will allow us to provide free tickets to those who may not be able to afford entry otherwise and ensure we can create a diverse socio-economic audience that represents San Francisco.