Overdose support group launches in Coeur d'Alene
Kelleen Burgess and Kristi Hegvet approached Tess Reasor of 208 Recovery after realizing there weren't support groups for family and loved ones of people who overdosed.
Left to right: Kelleen Burgess, Tess Reasor and Kristy Hegvet.
Courtesy photo
COEUR d’ALENE — Kelleen Burgess and Kristi Hegvet went looking for support groups but couldn’t find one after they lost their sons to overdoses.
They decided to create one.
Burgess and Hegvet reached out to Tess Reasor of 208 Recovery to try and fill the need.
“It was brought up that there had been two overdose deaths over the weekend and the coroner's reports are showing an increase in overdose deaths,” Reasor said.
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho experienced 270 deaths related to opioid overdoses and 755 emergency department visits related to any opioid overdose in 2022, excluding deaths.
“The family members are left behind to cope. How are we going to bridge that gap? We can support each other as community members,” Reasor said.
Eight people attended the first meeting of the Family and Friends of Overdose Victims Support Group, which was formed through a collaboration between 208 Recovery and the Human Rights Education Institute. The partnership intends to promote healing, resilience and support for those affected by overdose-related tragedies in North Idaho.
"Having endured the profound loss of our sons, we realized the urgent need for a support system tailored to individuals navigating similar experiences," Burgess said.
The group is committed to offering support and solidarity to others facing similar challenges.
“These are human beings; these are our children,” Reasor said.
Reasor also serves on Kootenai County’s Idaho Law Enforcement Diversion program, which assists in finding ways for nonviolent offenders with substance abuse issues to convert substance use into treatment instead of facing criminal charges.
“It’s such a hard topic and it needs to be addressed,” Reasor said.
The Overdose Victims Support Group meets every other Monday starting May 20 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Human Rights Education Institute, 414 W. Fort Grounds Drive, Coeur d'Alene.
Info: Tess Reasor, 208-755-1445 or tess@208recovery.org.