The Lazarus Project

WASILLA — Tuesday evening's monthly Mat-Su Opioid Task Force meeting provided a good opportunity for many members and groups to update one another on important programs that are ready for launch — including the Lazarus Project, Narcan kit distribution and prescription drug disposal bags.

Mat-Su Doctor Michael Alter said the first round of the Lazarus Project is scheduled to begin March 12. The project uses the Bridge device which has gained federal clearance to use in helping individuals break the opioid addiction cycle. Through a $15,000 Mat-Su Health Foundation (MHF) Wellness grant, 25 Bridge devices have been purchased. Alter said everyone is onboard to implement the devices.

"We're ready to get them in and get them treated," said Alter.

Alter said the program also includes non-opioid comfort meds, wrap around treatment, peer support, life skills, getting them to appointments and the grocery store.

"Whatever they need. Hopefully use this as a launching pad for hopefully much bigger and better things down the road," Alter said, adding that room and urgent care staff at Mat-Su Regional Hospital recently completed device training. "We're ready to roll!"

Alter said he wanted to give a shout-out to Alaska Family Services, Akeela and Set Free Alaska for jumping onboard early in supporting the project.

"Excitement in the air. That's actually the Foundation's term that's providing the $15,000 grant," says Carson.

Terria Walters, founder of the non-profit Fallen Up Ministries addressed the group earlier in the meeting on the topic. Fallen Up was the pass-through agency for the $15,000 MHF grant which funded purchasing the 25 Bridge units Alter referred to. She reviewed the process involved with in participating and displayed one of the units.

"It's an awesome tool because people can't get into in-patient," Walters said. She said the Bridge device cost is only that of one day in an in-patient detox facility."(Bridge device wearers) can go home or stay in a halfway house."

Walters said looking into what she hopes is the not too distant future, she would like to see a Valley facility and call it the Chris and Kellsi Detox Center. Her son Chris was murdered in Big Lake and Kellsi Green died in an Anchorage jail from opioid withdrawals. Walters said down the road she would like to see the state department of corrections partner with the task force.

"They are the biggest detox facility in the state,” Walters said. “My goal is to push this as much as possible.”

Michael Carson began the meeting sharing some sobering statistics. He said there seems to be somewhat of a shift in the fact that synthetic painkillers overdoses have dropped slightly. Carson said heroin overdoses, on the other hand, have tripled and in some cases quadrupled.

"That's because of monitoring programs — its due to people becoming aware of the problem," Carson said. "The spigot has been turned off somewhat and that has been driving people to cheaper and more accessible heroin."

Sarah Heath, director of Governor Bill Walker's Mat-Su office, reviewed the Governor's recent plans to help fight the epidemic.

During the meeting, Carson suggested writing a letter to state senator Pete Kelly of Fairbanks concerning Walker's legislation introduced this week.

"He has taken the bill and put it in three committees. Hard enough to get a bill out of one committee...but to get it out of three? I would like us, as a task force member, to write a letter asking the bill be moved out of committee," Carson said.

Sue Brogan with Anchorage United Way which supports 211, spoke on her program. Alaska 2-1-1 provides a vast resource social services network to callers statewide. Brogan said the program is widening its scope to include opiates. Many times, Brogan said, 2-1-1 is an individual's first call for help. Co-located in Anchorage's emergency control center, Alaska 2-1-1 is only one of two nationwide to have this designation.

"In case of disaster, 211 would be the one to call statewide. The value of our system is with our data base. We currently have 970 agencies with 7,200 resources," said Brogan. She said the task force resources will be added to that database.

John Green, father of Kellsi, discussed a Feb. 24 meeting with Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. They saw what we're doing, create a task force in Anchorage as well. Anchorage Police Department Captain Kenneth McCoy also attended the session to get acclimated. Green said like the Mat-Su, Anchorage has a lot good groups and resources acting independently, doing the good things that this task force is doing.

"It's a work in progress," said Green. "Hopefully have or first task force meeting in Anchorage soon."

Carson said he has been approached by native Corporation out of Bristol Bay. They want to start a task force so we provided them with all our data. He will send strategic plan to McCoy for digestion.

Michelle Overstreet, director and Founder of MyHouse , reviewed a panel discussion at recent Alaska Municipal League meeting in Juneau. She said the session was scheduled for three hours.

"At 4.5 hours, (they) had to break it up. The information we have is really, really valuable all across Alaska," Overstreet said. She said as the task force continues paving the way, non-narcotic tools to use in bush situations are becoming very powerful. They don't have hospitals or detox centers. You've got to get to an emergency room after (administering) Narcan. In the bush, it's a life flight away."

Retired area doctor Dave Werner shared thoughts on how doctors and other health professionals are many times unwittingly the start for people with opioid addiction. He said he watched the emergence of the legal prescribing habits from their infancy in the 1990's with pain management clinics. Werner said the way to keep people from falling into the trap is by focusing on prevention.

"Back in the 1970's we had valium, Librium, Quaaludes , diet pills and Demerol," said Warner. "Pain scales told us pain was being greatly undertreated. We were told pain should be controlled (but) non addictive pain relief was not used first. Doctors prescribed large amounts instead of the bare minimum."

Andy Jones, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services chief of rural and community health systems, provided an update on the ongoing Narcan outreach program drug bag disposal programs. There will be a public training session on Narcan kits at MyHouse on Wednesday, March 15, at 5 p.m. The task force's next meeting is Tuesday, April 4 starting at 4 p.m. in the Wasilla City Council chambers.