A coalition of volunteers hosts talk story sessions for friends and families affected by addiction and drug overdose on Hawaii Island.
Over the last 15 years, fentanyl has become the leading cause of U.S. deaths in people ages 18 to 45-years old with overdose deaths among 10 to 19-year olds increasing faster than any other age group.
One Big Island resident dies every 5 1/2 days from a drug overdose, which are mostly attributed to fentanyl, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, one resident death from an overdose occured every 11 days.
Public concern and outcry regarding the prevalence of fentanyl grew drastically after the accidental overdose death of a 14-year old girl in west Hawaii in 2021. The tragedy ignited members of the community and health professionals to take action and create the Hawaii Island Fentanyl Task Force and combat the growing public issue.
Since its formation, HIFTF has prioritized education, prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery support in its mission to reduce addiction and stop drug overdose in all communities across the island.
“There are families and individuals in our neighborhoods who are suffering from the loss of a loved one due to an overdose of opioids like fentanyl,” said HIFTF member Micah Alameda. “It is tragic, and more people are suffering than we know.”
Last week, the task force hosted a talk story session in Hilo for anyone who has lost a loved one to overdose, or has been affected by addiction first-hand or through loved ones.
“When recognizing our priorities, we saw that support services for people in recovery as well as people who have lost loved ones is a great place to start,” said HIFTF co-lead Dr. Kevin Kuntz. “We are offering these talk stories for people to find support and a place to share their experiences and engage with folks without stigma and shame.”
Dr. Kuntz and HIFTF co-lead Dr. Hannah Preston Pita, CEO of Big Island Substance Abuse Council, along with task force members Micah Alameda, Tim Hansen and Michelle Kobayashi, met and subsequently recruited two new members– Laura Dvorak, a bereavement counselor at Hawaii Care Choices and Will, a veteran and former addict.
Dvorak decided to meet the task force to brainstorm how to expand her support services to people who have lost someone to overdose, addiction or suicide, which are more stigmatized in the public, and better serve them in their grief.
“A lot of people are under the impression that bereavement support (at Hawaii Care Choices) is just for people who have lost someone in hospice care, but that is not the case,” Dvorak said. “We offer this grief support to anyone for free without insurance. However, I know it’s harder to look for support when someone you love dies from overdose or suicide, so I’m here to learn more myself.”
According to Kuntz, losing a loved one to a drug overdose is different from other personal losses. Many people experience guilt for not doing enough, or guilt for feeling relieved that their loved one’s battle is finally over.
There is also an added layer of shame that comes from being judged by others in their communities who see addiction as a choice and not a disease that can affect anyone at anytime.
“No one chooses addiction when they start using substances. It is a disease. Butin society, the moment you are labeled an addict, you disappear,” Kuntz said. “The correlation between trauma and substance abuse is staggering and many don’t realize that.”
After returning home from his military service, Will began going to the VA and was overprescribed opioids to treat his PTSD. His usage ultimately led him to heroin.
Within the last two years, Will has been able to get clean after residential treatment through BISAC and unrelenting support from his mother.
“People like you guys–you save people’s lives. I was lucky to have support from my mom, but so many don’t have anyone to support them,” Will said. “I didn’t think it was possible for me, and I truly believe I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for my mom. It is rare to find someone who still sees you as a person and sees addiction as a disease.”
According to Will, he has been told that fentanyl has seemingly replaced heroin and is now easier to find.
“So many of my friends have died from fentanyl or were saved by Narcan at the last minute. There were some people I thought would make it out, but didn’t,” Will said. “This is the first time I’ve felt that I need to do something positive with my time. If I’m here, there are others that can be, too. They need to see someone relatable.”
While there is a focus on treatment and support, HIFTF believes that prevention and education is the best long-term option to combat the rising rate of death from addiction and overdose.
According to HIFTF, 90% of adults with addiction started using addictive substances before turning 20 years old, which makes informing and supporting island youth, their families and community contacts more imperative.
“I’ve met so many people who did not think this would ever happen to their family. They did not think it was possible, yet one in ten families will experience loss from overdose and addiction,” Kuntz said. “We want to start the fight when it’s still upstream and not already over the waterfall.”
The talk story session inspired Dvorak to join the task force and begin developing a substance abuse counseling program that would be for people suffering from substance abuse and others who have lost loved ones to overdose and addiction.
For those in need, Hawaii Care Choices currently offers a free, adult drop-in grief group from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Zoom every Tuesday. More information on this and other options can be found at hawaiicarechoices.org
After officially joining HIFTF, Will said he would do his part by giving Narcan out in the community while talking with people about their potential options.
Next Wednesday, HIFTF will be in West Hawaii for another talk story session from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the West Hawaii Civic Center Community Hale Building G.
“We need to hear from those who have been through this pain, so we can be the best organization for our island,” Alameda said. “We can and will be there for anyone who needs to be heard, which is a crucial part of the grieving and healing process.”
For more information on the five-year plan, Narcan giveaway days, upcoming events and involvment, visit hiftf.org.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com
