Town hall to address opioid crisis in Black community
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Opioid overdose deaths disproportionately kill Black Americans more than their white counterparts, so a town hall on Saturday at Martin University is hoping to address that.
The nonprofit Overdose Lifeline and the Indiana University School of Public Health will host the town hall.
Charlotte Crabtree, diversity and outreach program manager for Overdose Lifeline. said, “There’s trust. People in the Black community are not trusting. They don’t want to open up. Then, there’s that secrecy which comes with the stigma of substance abuse disorder.”
Crabtree will be spearheading conversations in the Black community about structural racism and overdose deaths.
A 2002 study by researchers from Howard University and the National Institutes of Health found Black people were four to six times more likely to overdose from opioids than white people.
“Every soul is precious, and I want to make sure that we’re not losing lives that could be saved,” Crabtree said.
A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed Indiana had an 18% decrease in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023 in large part because Overdose Lifeline distributed roughly 24,000 doses of opioid-reversal agent naloxone each month within the state.
Overdose Lifeline founder Justin Phillips said, “Despite the fact that we’ve done a decent job of decreasing overdoses, we’re still not reaching those communities the way we hoped.”
Philips founded the organization after she lost her son to heroin. She wants to save as many lives as she can.
The organization says the stigma around overdoses and the lack of education play a part in the Black community.
Philipps shared education that laws allow “any individual to have the overdose reversal drug without a prescription, and there are good Samaritan protections in that law should you administer it to anyone.”
Crabtree adds that fear of being mistreated by law enforcement can prevent users from reaching out for help or even calling 911. Even bystanders can get scared when they see someone overdosing.
Crabtree said, “911 is so important, and people are afraid. People are afraid that if they’re here and the authorities come, they’ll think they’re involved or maybe not involved and now they’re afraid.”
Crabtree is a recovering alcoholic. While she is managing her addiction, she wants to help others manage theirs, and hopes the conversation this weekend will help. “Because I understand, and I’ve been there people, open up to me. People share their stories and they’re able to help me stay sober one more day, and hopefully I’m able to help them.”
Saturday’s town hall from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Martin University’s Hardin Gathertorium was being specifically geared toward the Black community, but opioid addiction or overdose deaths can happen to anyone regardless of race or ethnicity. Featured speakers will include Crabtree; Alfie McGinty, Marion County chief deputy coroner; and Shron Rucker, real estate investor, MACRO-B Coalition member and community activist.