Kentucky lawmakers, harm reduction leaders discuss overdose deaths

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The head of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission told lawmakers Tuesday that 2021 marked an “ominous and devastating change,” as the opioid crisis continued to spread beyond Appalachia.  

“That year marked the very first time that the rate of opioid-related deaths among Black Kentuckians exceeded that of whites, at a rate of 50.2 individuals per 100,000 in population, compared to 42.7 among whites,” said Bryan Hubbard, the commission’s executive director. “The vast majority of opioid deaths are now caused by fentanyl, with Kentuckians, and Black Kentuckians especially, affected by fentanyl’s lethality.”

The commission reached out to Black faith and civic leadership to plan additional town halls, Hubbard said.

“The commission was able to build a trust bridge, which led to broad-based engagement with hundreds of Black Kentuckians in Louisville, Paducah and Lexington,” he said.

Hubbard spoke before the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity Tuesday, which heard from others working to save Kentuckians from deadly overdoses.

“If we have the support at the legislative level, the people, the community, will follow up and respond in a way that is positive, in a way that saves and improves lives,” said Shameka Parrish-Wright, executive director for VOCAL-KY. “So yes, we are doing this and we won’t stop, but we need your help to do more.”

Shreeta Waldon, executive director of the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, said that while state records show overdose deaths decreased 5% last year, among Black Kentuckians, the number is trending upward.

Records showed the number has increased by 8% since 2021 and by approximately 47% since 2020.

“It takes all of the communities that make up Kentucky to say that this is not okay,” Waldon said. “It takes treatment centers to say that, you know what I’ve been saying that we are making progress and we’re doing a great job, but when I look at our numbers, it is not reflective of the communities that are most impacted.”

The next legislative session begins in January.

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