ABOUT US


OUR VISION AND MISSION

Vision

A community that is aware, informed, and empowered to prevent addiction, drug overdose, and other consequences of drug use on Hawaii Island.


Mission

Our mission is to reduce the demand and supply of illicit drugs in all age groups, especially fentanyl through education, prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery support activities, and we support law enforcement and judicial initiatives.


What Is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. According to data from the Hawaii State Department of Health, fentanyl has been identified as a significant threat to public health in Hawaii in recent years. In 2020, there were 57 deaths related to fentanyl in Hawaii, a sharp increase from 15 deaths in 2019. Additionally, in 2020, fentanyl was present in 56% of all opioid-related deaths in Hawaii. These statistics highlight the severity of the opioid epidemic in Hawaii and the need for continued efforts to address this crisis.


To combat the rise in fentanyl-related deaths in Hawaii, the state government has implemented a number of initiatives. These include increasing access to naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, and expanding substance abuse treatment and prevention services. In addition, law enforcement agencies have increased efforts to identify and prosecute individuals involved in the distribution of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. These efforts are important in reducing the impact of the opioid epidemic in Hawaii and helping individuals struggling with addiction to receive the support they need. It is important for individuals and families to be aware of the dangers of fentanyl and to seek help if they or a loved one is struggling with addiction.


Task Force Leaders

 Every member of our core task force team has made significant contributions to our community.   

Mahalo for your leadership.

Kevin Kunz, MD

Co-Lead

Wally Lau

Co-Lead

Dr. Hannah Preston-Pita

Co-Lead

A Message From Dr. Kimo

Aloha All,


Thank you for taking an interest in helping us to address this very sad epidemic. We found that it’s not enough to “tell” kids not to use dangerous drugs. A better approach is to replace the word “No” with “Know”. Because, “if they know, they may not go”. Knowledge is power and for youth, knowing can be a superpower. Now that we’re coming out of COVID, we see a rise in addictions of both drugs and alcohol.


We know nobody chooses to be addicted in the same way nobody chooses heart disease or diabetes. Addiction just happens when we start replacing the chemicals that our brain naturally produces with chemicals from the outside like nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, meth, etc.


We also know that using drugs is not good because you’re teaching your brain NOT to produce these natural chemicals anymore, and thus it expects YOU to find it yourself— which is what we call “craving”. This then puts you on the path of “I like it”, to “I want it”, to “I need it” . Here, drugs make you feel good, UNTIL THEY DON’T, and that’s the path of addiction.


If you’re stuck in addiction, please reach out to somebody you trust who can help you find help —and there is help, like talking to your primary care physician or calling the CARES Line of Hawaii 1-(800) 753-6879 . We hope the information on this website can help as well.


Mahalo Nui Loa,


Dr. Kimo Alameda, Task Force Lead


Our Five Year Plan

After much deliberation and collaboration, the Hawaii Island Fentanyl Task Force developed a Five-Year Strategic Plan. Priorities, goals, and objectives were identified, as well as dashboard measures to track key performance and outcomes. Click below to see our Five-Year Strategic Plan.


Click Here

Community Partners

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