A vital conversation on Overdose Awareness Day

Originally published August 28, 2026.

Monday is Overdose Awareness Day. So many of us have been impacted by this topic, and our stories – whether about our own experiences or a loved one's – are powerful, especially when we come together to share them.

We're marking the occasion by bringing Susan Ousterman, founder of The Vilomah Foundation, to our virtual stage. From 5-6:30 p.m. ET, we'll focus on the opioid epidemic and zoom in on opioid settlement funds.

Billions of dollars have moved through opioid settlements, meant to repair what the crisis destroyed. Where that money actually went, and who it left behind, is a harder story to trace. Susan has spent years pulling that story apart, tracking the funds, the process, and the systems that decided who got heard and who didn't. In our time together, she will share what happened, what's left of the money now, and the systemic betrayal running underneath both.

Susan's critical work lies at the intersection of her personal grief and her drive to create a more connected and compassionate society. Faced with access barriers to mental healthcare, her son Tyler sought relief through substances, struggling for years to overcome his dependence before passing away from a fentanyl-induced overdose. The family's attempts to access groundbreaking treatment for opioid use disorder (like ibogaine, which the Vilomah Foundation advocates for as a "paradigmatic shift" in addiction treatment) were met with bureaucratic hurdles, outdated policies, and systemic failures.

Since then, Susan has dedicated her life to creating real solutions and reducing stigma associated with substance use, mental health, and grief. We are honored to have her with us – and we hope you can make it too.

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