More than 3,000 people died of drug overdoses in Los Angeles County alone in 2022 and last October, Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, of “Friends” fame, became one of the latest overdose victims when he accidentally died of acute effects of ketamine at his Los Angeles home.

Perry's story reminds us that no one is immune to drug overdoses, but who are the most vulnerable in LA County and why? How do poverty, homelessness and mental health issues intersect with addiction to create a deadly “perfect storm” for so many? To find out, we spoke to Nyabingi Kuti, director of the LA Harm Reduction Network, which aims to expand and enhance access to substance use disorder treatment for L.A. County and especially Skid Row. This is the first episode in a two-part series.