More Kansas Citians die from overdose than homicide annually. However, substance use rarely receives the same level of attention as violent crime does, leaving those struggling with addiction unaware of how to get help.
Emily Hage, the president and CEO of the substance use resource and prevention center, First Call, says stigma is a major reason why.
“There’s been so much morality associated with substance use,” Hage said. “That’s what keeps people sick.”
First Call was founded in Kansas City in 1958 as a “stigma-busting” organization that aimed to educate the public about alcoholism. Now, it’s where individuals struggling with or impacted by substance use can make the “first call” to be connected with the local treatment and support resources that best fit their needs.
The organization recently launched a podcast called “Answering the Call," with guests who explain how to talk about drugs and alcohol with kids, and who share stories of addiction and recovery.
The series aims to normalize conversations about substance use and acknowledge it as a “public health crisis” rather than a “moral failing,” Hage said.
- Emily Hage, president and CEO, First Call
