$478,400 Invested to Directly Address the Growing Opioid Crisis on Hawaiʻi Island

 Mayor Mitch Roth announced its formal commitment to supporting the critical work of the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force (Task Force) and its fiscal sponsor, the Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC), earlier this morning. This funding, totaling $478,400 over two years, will directly address the growing opioid crisis on the island and come through a partnership between the County of Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH).

“We’re proud to support community advocates and healthcare 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 Mayor Mitch Roth. “By backing the Task Force and BISAC, we ensure that essential resources are available for education, prevention, treatment, and harm reduction efforts, thereby strengthening our community’s resilience.”

The funding for the Task Force was made possible through the State of Hawaiʻi’s share of the National Opioid Settlement Funds. These funds stem from settlements reached with various pharmaceutical companies and distributors that were held responsible for their role in the opioid epidemic. The DOH 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 BISAC. “These funds will allow us to significantly expand our efforts to combat the opioid crisis and create a safer, healthier Hawaiʻi Island for all.”

About the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force

The Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force is a multi-sector collaborative dedicated to reducing overdose deaths and the negative impacts of fentanyl on Hawaiʻi Island. The task force works to improve prevention, screening, early intervention, treatment services, recovery support, harm reduction, and data analysis efforts.

About the Big Island Substance Abuse Council

BISAC is a non-profit organization and a leading substance abuse treatment provider offering a range of evidence-based programs and therapies for individuals affected by substance use and addiction.