Lakeport and Lake Co. urge plan to end the opioid epidemic

William Roller

Jan 20

Center, Justin Phillips, MA, Founder and CEO of OverdoseLifeline, nonprofit, provides counseling for Opioid users, explains treatment options at Discussion of Opioid Epidemic at the Soper Reese Theater, Jan. 17, (William Roller- LAKE COUNTY PUBLISHING.)

Right, Chief of Police, Brad Rasmussen, leads opioid discussion at the Soper Reese Theater, Jan. 17,
(William Roller- LAKE COUNTY PUBLISHING.)

Center, Elise Jones, Lake County Behavioral Health Dept, director explained impacts of treating substance use at Discussion of Opioid Epidemic at the Soper Reese Theater, Jan. 17. (William Roller-LAKE COUNTY PUBLISHING.)

LAKEPORT >> Substance use disorder, particularly among those using opioids and Fentanyl has been a persistent disease for a long time in the United States explained a veteran advocate at the mental health summit convening at the Soper Reece Theater January 17.

"It's a chronic disease, a chronic disease in our country more than any other ailment," said, Justin Phillips, MA, founder and CEO of Overdose Lifeline a community services nonprofit of Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the keynote speaker of an expert panel of people who offered testimony at the Community Discussion on the Opioid Epidemic organized by Lakeport Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen. "The epidemic is going on our country, our state and right here at home in Lakeport and Lake County and it's a serious issue, that's why we're here tonight," he said. "So, the event is to start the discussion with you to engage the community and try to end the opioid epidemic right here."

Rasmussen went on to state that it is the invited panel's collaborative event to end opioid in the community. "We're working hard toward this as a partnership with all of our agencies because of the impact we need several components." Those elements comprised; law enforcement, education of youth and community as well as services including behavioral health counseling and substance abuse intervention. "What is most important is the community needs to be behind all the agencies," Rasmussen urged.

Phillips founded the Indianapolis Overdose Lifeline in 2014, a year after her 20-year-old son died from a heroin overdosed in an effort to spare other parents from experiencing the trauma she endured. Yet she noted the barrier in the way of substance use disorder (SUD) is the stigma that interferes with the community's ability to address SUD as a chronic disease. And it affects the U.S. in a lot more ways than any other disease she said. "I have three children, Brian, the oldest, Aaron in the middle and Audrey the youngest," she told the Sope Reese audience. "I've been in recovery from alcohol use disorder since 1989," she said. "And I don't think any of us understood opioids, when Aaron told me about his heroin use, I couldn't stop him from using heroin on his own, and didn't understand the ramifications, and I had shame and stigma. And because of that, I didn't address Aaron's heroin uses as a chronic disease, and I didn't talk to anyone and didn't want to be judged," she said.

But Phillips went on to say that people are hardwired for connection and constantly seeking to be accepted and approved. And she pointed out people at a very young age question if they are good enough, and there is social media (to) inform the community what to like, and all those things contribute to people's shame as they are indoctrinated to western society's culture. Yet Aaron found his way to opioids through multiple ways and Phillips added that stigma are marks of disgrace and set up a negative belief system that condemns some and (causes some to) internalize toxic shame and a deep- seated feeling of being unlovable.

"My child experienced addiction, there is no simple solution and as I didn't have a solution it caused fear and fear caused my child to act out in anger ... And I had my own shame around Aaron's use (of narcotics) and around my own recovery," she said. "Recovery offers hope, but I had toxic shame.

Substance use disorder has been a chronic disease a long time and it is a chronic disease in this country, more than any other, Phillips pointed out. "But we don't dedicate the resources to do the research," she said. "Also, we have people who don't believe the science. And many still think addiction is a moral failing and a lack of willpower. Yet since 76% of Americans substance abuse is a moral problem, we're never going to be able to address addiction until wed stop believing that."

"We don't judge people for type 2 diabetes when they forget to check their blood sugar, but we do with substance use disorder, Phillips added. "It's the only disease where we don't adjust the treatment plan but instead kick someone out of treatment."

Compassion will help overcome fear and stigma to ask for help, Phillips noted. And health care providers must do better with access to treatment and the insurance companies must do better with to provide insurance coverage. "I think denial, shame and stigma are things that keep us stuck out of recovery," Phillips said. "The more we are willing to share with one another, the better off we are going to be."

Elise Jones, Lake County Behavioral Health Services director noted Behavioral Health, is the administrative entity overseeing our county's opioid settlement fund owing to the prolific prescribing of opioids by pharmaceutical companies, who were successfully sued. She said Behavioral Health tracked Lake County's allocation, which amounts to $2 billion a year that continues for 17 years. "This is really a once in a generation opportunity to invest in our community," she said. Ther will be three public meetings to discuss what the settlement should be spent on. The first meeting is on January 26 in the Board of Supervisor's chambers between 10 AM and 2 PM. The other meeting are to be determined.