Hawaiʻi County invests $478K to address growing opioid crisis

Hawaiʻi County is attacking the growing opioid crisis on the Big Island by investing nearly $500,000 during the next 2 years in support of critical work being done by the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force and its fiscal sponsor the Big Island Substance Abuse Council.

The funding is made possible through the state’s share of National Opioid Settlement Funds.

Mayor Mitch Roth announced the investment Monday morning. The $478,400 is being funded by a partnership between the county and the Hawaiʻi Department of Health.

“We’re proud to support community advocates and health care organizations across the island in addressing the opioid crisis by directing our share of opioid settlement funds to the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Taskforce and BISAC,” said Roth. “By backing the task force and [Big Island Substance Abuse Council], we ensure that essential resources are available for education, prevention, treatment and harm reduction efforts, thereby strengthening our community’s resilience.”

The funds stem from settlements reached with various pharmaceutical companies and distributors that were held accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic. The state Health Department allocated a portion of these funds to Hawaiʻi County to support local initiatives.

“We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering support from the county and the state,” said Dr. Hannah Preston-Pita, co-lead of the task force and CEO of Big Island Substance Abuse Council. “These funds will allow us to significantly expand our efforts to combat the opioid crisis and create a safer, healthier Hawaiʻi Island for all.”

The Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force is a multi-sector collaborative dedicated to reducing overdose deaths and the negative impacts of fentanyl on the Big Ialand.

Big Island Substance Abuse Council is a nonprofit organization and leading substance abuse treatment provider, offering a range of evidence-based programs and therapies for people affected by substance use and addiction.