At the Intersection of Homeless Encampments and Heroin Addiction: Service Use Barriers, Facilitators, and Recommendations from the City of Philadelphia's Encampment Resolution Pilot.

We provide an overview of the pilot and evaluation measures used for an independent evaluation of the Encampment Resolution Pilot (ERP) wherein the City of Philadelphia closed two homeless encampments in May 2018 and sought to assist those displaced by the closures with housing and treatment services. The evaluation used the Rapid Assessment, Response, and Evaluation method to collect qualitative findings on service use barriers and facilitators from open-ended interviews with people staying in the encampments (N = 27) and service providers (N = 10). We assessed how the ERP allowed providers to "push the system" by removing access barriers, and providing amenable, effective, and accessible housing and drug treatment services that led to more widely adopted best practices. However, there was a clear need for additional supportive services and aftercare for those exiting treatment. Providers also cited a need for more integrated medical and mental health services.

Genomic resource development for shellfish of conservation concern.

Effective conservation of threatened species depends on the ability to assess organism physiology and population demography. To develop genomic resources to better understand the dynamics of two ecologically vulnerable species in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, larval transcriptomes were sequenced for the pinto abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana, and the Olympia oyster, Ostrea lurida. Based on comparative species analysis the Ostrea lurida transcriptome (41 136 contigs) is relatively complete. These transcriptomes represent the first significant contribution to genomic resources for both species. Genes are described based on biological function with particular attention to those associated with temperature change, oxidative stress and immune function. In addition, transcriptome-derived genetic markers are provided. Together, these resources provide valuable tools for future studies aimed at conservation of Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana, Ostrea lurida and related species.