10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Decreasing percentage of overdose deaths offer ‘glimmer of hope’ to WV health leaders

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is one of six states that saw a decrease in the percentage of overdose deaths in a year, according to a new annual report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Matthew Christiansen

The CDC National Vital Statistics System released its latest findings Tuesday that shows West Virginia is down 3.63 percent in overdose deaths from March 2021 to March 2022.

West Virginia reported 1,541 overdose deaths in March 2021. That number fell to 1,485 in March 2022.

The only other state showing a better improvement is Virginia at 6.69 percent.

Dr. Matthew Christiansen, director of the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ Office of Drug Control Policy, reacted to the report on Wednesday’s MetroNews “Talkline” and said the state is starting to plateau, but that their work isn’t over.

“This is a marathon and not a sprint, but we do want to mention that these numbers do indicate some hope and success of the programs that we’ve been implementing,” Christiansen said.

West Virginia’s other neighboring states Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland also saw improvement as well as Nebraska.

Christiansen said the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 showed real effects on those struggling with addiction and that it’s starting to level off.

Christiansen credited reducing opioid prescriptions, expanding drug treatment and recovery services as well as increasing the distribution of naloxone to high risk individuals as reasons for the improvement.

“We know that reducing opioid prescriptions helps to expose fewer people to those opioids in the first place,” he said. “We know that getting naloxone out into people’s hands that need that are very high risk like people leaving correctional facilities or people leaving state hospitals.”

Other resources that have helped include HELP4WV, which offers 24/7 confidential support and resource referrals through call, text, and chat lines. Residents may call HELP4WV at 844-HELP4WV, text at 844-435-7498, or chat at www.help4wv.com.

Save a Life Day on Thursday will also help in the fight against opioids, Christiansen said. All 55 counties will host free naloxone distribution sites.

“West Virginia has very tight knit communities and this is really an indication of neighbors helping neighbors,” he said.





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