LIHU‘E — An estimated 100 residents turned out Monday night at the War Memorial Convention Hall to learn more about drug and alcohol addiction, residential and outpatient treatment centers for substance abusers, clean and sober homes, and therapeutic living options
LIHU‘E — An estimated 100 residents turned out Monday night at the War Memorial Convention Hall to learn more about drug and alcohol addiction, residential and outpatient treatment centers for substance abusers, clean and sober homes, and therapeutic living options on Kaua‘i.
The higher attendance was a strong departure from last week when the county Anti-Drug Office opened its series of four community meetings across the island.
Tonight is the final meeting people can attend to find out more and provide their input on the subject. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the Hanapepe Armory.
A panel discussion featuring community speakers will govern the first half of the meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with the public invited to comment from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
“The turnout was great,” Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said of the Lihu‘e meeting. “There was a nice cross-section of people in the audience with a lot of positive energy.”
Arvin Montgomery, a panelist at the Kapa‘a Middle School meeting, expressed his appreciation Monday for people taking the time to come out and learn about the problems in the community. He had expressed his dismay at the poor turnout last week.
Malia Togioka, a director at clean and sober homes on Kaua‘i and a panelist, lost little time in getting the audience involved. She asked for a show of hands to questions such as “How many of you know of people who have addictions?” and “How many of you know of dealers who live in your community?”
At the end of the night, following testimonies from recovering addicts, there was overwhelming support for the need of a treatment center on Kaua‘i as demonstrated by the show of hands from the audience initiated by Councilman-elect Mel Rapozo.
“There you have it, Mr. Mayor,” Rapozo said. “The community supports you in the need for a treatment facility. We need to find the funding and get this built.”
Carvalho said he encourages people who have not been able to attend a meeting to come to future meetings so they can see for themselves that people in the community are hurting.
One of those testifying was a recovering addict who said he went to O‘ahu for treatment at age 39. He said even at that age, he was lonesome and eagerly awaited the permitted twice-monthly visits from his family and friends.
“Now I’m home, and I know of a single mom who has a 15-year-old who has a problem,” he said. “It was hard for me at 39 years old. Can you imagine what this child must be going through?”
These people need to receive treatment on island so they can be near their families who can provide them with the support they need to recover, Carvalho said.
“The facility would provide a safe environment for them and it would be monitored,” the mayor said. “I believe that it’s very important for us to continue this discussion and, ultimately, find a solution.”
