Mayor Roth announced the County’s formal commitment in supporting the work of the Hawaiʻi Island Fentanyl Task Force (Task Force) and its fiscal sponsor, the Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC).

Funding, totaling $478,400 over two years, will directly address the growing opioid crisis on Hawai’i island and come through a partnership between the County of Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH).

Task Force funding 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.

In a press release Mayor Roth said, “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. 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.”

Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth