PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council approved an ordinance on Wednesday that would prohibit medical treatment inside city parks without proper permits, a move that has sparked opposition from healthcare organizations serving homeless populations.
The vote was 8-1 in favor of the ordinance.
The proposed ordinance, titled "Safe Medical Treatment in Parks," would make it a Class 1 misdemeanour for any person, group or organization to provide medical treatment to the public in a park unless authorized by the city through established processes or permits. The ordinance defines medical treatment as "any act aimed at diagnosis, cure or treatment of disease, injury, illness, or wound," but excludes providing information, connecting people to services, or transportation to medical facilities.
The ordinance also specifically prohibits needle exchanges and the distribution of harm reduction kits, which are defined as collections of paraphernalia used to save lives or protect health from drug use consequences. These kits may contain sterile syringes, alcohol cleaning wipes, or testing kits.
However, the ordinance includes several exceptions, including for first responders performing professional duties, family members helping other family members, people rendering emergency aid, and the distribution of naloxone in both emergency and non-emergency situations.
Council members say the ordinance aims to make parks safer for families after community members reported finding needles and seeing drug use in city parks. However, licensed healthcare organizations that provide mobile medical treatment argue the ban will punish groups doing vital work and increase demand on city 911 and EMS services.
There were dozens of public comments at today's council meeting, both for and against the proposal, including Circle the City, which provides street medicine services to people experiencing homelessness.
"If we can't provide that care to them on cold mornings at 30 degrees or hot summers at 118 degrees and they're not able to seek care from - go to one of our sites you know they'll potentially die and we have saved many lives through those times that we've been out there," said Kim Despres, Circle the City CEO.
The city says medical providers can apply for permits to continue providing care in parks. However, Circle the City argues the permitting process requires specific time frames that won't allow organizations to meet patients where they are.
"We meet people where they are, and we're not the bad guys here," Despres said. "We had no idea this was happening. We were not consulted."
Despres expressed confusion about why her organization and others would be barred from continuing their mobile programs. Circle the City's street medicine team visits parks to provide medical care, including administering medical care and IVs to dehydrated individuals during Arizona's extreme heat.
"We pivoted to death prevention because of the amount of deaths here in Maricopa County," a Circle the City medical team member told ABC15 in 2024.
Phoenix City Council members maintain this is a public safety issue. Vice Mayor Ann O’Brien and Councilmember Betty Guardado said community members have found needles in parks.
O'Brien emphasized that parks are designed for families and recreational activities, not ongoing medical treatment without coordination.
"Parks are, are built for playgrounds and community fun and, uh, in mind and going to Little League practices or football or soccer. And so having this ongoing medical treatment without any kind of coordination or supervision with public health officials and our parks department just doesn't make sense," O'Brien said.
District 5 Councilmember Betty Guardado echoed similar concerns about park safety, particularly for working-class families who rely on public parks for recreation.
"We have to be able to strike that balance. And, and to me, that's what this ordinance does for us. It's going to strike that balance for our community," Guardado said.
Guardado emphasized that many families depend on public parks as their primary recreational option.
"We have seen, we've had community members tell us that they have found the needles. Um, we've seen community members who have told us that their children have almost gotten stung by these needles," Guardado said.
O'Brien emphasized she appreciates the nonprofits' help and said care can still be provided through the permit system - noting that handing out waters or administering naloxone is still allowed.
"That is not prevented here. This just requires our nonprofits to get a permit through the parks department so that we know what's going on," O'Brien said.
The vice mayor clarified that emergency services would still be allowed and that certain activities would not be affected by the ordinance.
Guardado stressed that the ordinance is not a complete ban on services in parks.
"We're not saying don't ask for a permit. We're not saying that you're banned from our parks. You know, the only thing we're saying, you have to get a permit if you want to come," Guardado said.
Circle the City argues the permitting process requires specific scheduling and won't allow them to reach those who need help most.
"Sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not. Sometimes they're there on Mondays, sometimes they're not, and so it's not something that we can schedule," Despres said.
Regarding needles left behind in parks, Despres said licensed organizations like hers aren't responsible for the problem.
"Those are the people and organizations that need to be addressed, but don't hurt the rest of us who are trying to save lives out there in the park," Despres said.
Circle the City reports there were more emergency calls, hospitalizations and deaths before their street medicine team began meeting people where they are.
"There are a lot of factors as to why people are in the parks, and they are human and they need us," Despres said.
The organization sent invitations to council members to ride along with their street medicine team to observe their work, hoping they'll reconsider a ban.
Despite its passage, the council delayed the effective date until March 30, 2026. Council members said they hoped in the time before that date, city staff can meet with non-profits who provide medical care in order to find a solution.
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