In 1956, Reverend Gerald Loweth arrived in Hawaii Island to serve as Rector of Church of the Holy Apostles in Hilo. During his short time on the island, he noticed there was no support system in place for anyone struggling with alcoholism. He began recruiting people willing to help the cause and, with them, created the Big Island Committee on Alcoholism. Then, in 1964 under Reverend Loweth’s leadership, the committee acquired government funding and officially established the Big Island Substance Abuse Council.
Over the years, the organization expanded its scope of services from alcoholism counseling to a small halfway house to now being a distinguished CARF accredited program addressing substance abuse and mental health issues.
BISAC continues to inspire individuals and their families today and is now a multimillion-dollar organization with a strong commitment to serving not just Hawaiʻi County but the State of Hawaiʻi. Our services align with the ever-changing behavioral health field with a professional and caring staff who are deeply committed to delivering quality services.