Op/Ed: 5 steps to decrease opioid overdoses, recover from substance abuse in Indiana – By Steve Smitherman (Indy Star) / Sept 24, 2022
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) have been a growing public health concern over the past decade, both nationally and in Indiana. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics indicates there were an estimated 100,306 overdose fatalities in the U.S. during a 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the same period in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic played a large role in these increasing rates, as the Indiana Department of Health tells us that from January to December 2020, there was a 41% increase in drug overdose deaths compared to the same time period in 2019 in Indiana. Additionally, naloxone, or Narcan, an opioid antagonist designed to reverse an overdose, administrations across the state were 66% higher in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
September is National Recovery Month, an annual observance to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices for substance use. Launched by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the month aims to increase public awareness surrounding mental health and addiction recovery.
I recognize that the process of accessing and completing proper treatment and care for SUD was hindered during the pandemic. Simultaneously, the number of vulnerable Hoosiers within these populations greatly increased as well as the barriers standing in their way of receiving assistance. Because of this, we need to focus on the steps that should be taken to work toward recovery.
