URGING THE STATE AND COUNTIES TO PRIORITIZE AND DIRECT ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO SUPPORTING COORDINATED INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AIMED AT ADDRESSING THE ONGOING FENTANYL EPIDEMIC.

Senate Resolution 52 urges state and county officials to prioritize and direct all available resources toward coordinated interagency collaboration and public-private partnerships to combat the ongoing fentanyl epidemic. The resolution highlights the severity of the crisis, noting that fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid often mixed into other street drugs, leading to a significant increase in overdose deaths. It calls for a multifaceted approach that includes education, prevention, treatment, harm reduction services like naloxone distribution, and law enforcement efforts. Additionally, the document cites the successful work of the Hawai'i Island Fentanyl Task Force as an example of effective cooperation among various agencies and community groups.