Hamilton County successfully reduces opioid deaths
Ohio Counties look to Cincinnati to reduce heroin overdoses and increase rehabilitation.
Hamilton County was able to decrease the number of opioid-related deaths in the first five months of 2018 by 34 percent thanks to an increased number of naloxone kits distributed to the public — an increase of 375 percent over the previous year.
The Narcan Distribution Collaborative handed out 25,000 doses donated from Adapt Pharma, making the life-saving drug accessible to people beyond first responders and treatment facilities.
Those with a high risk of overdosing — or who have a loved one in danger — had access to the nasal spray, leading to more than one-third fewer ambulance calls for overdose incidents and more than one-third fewer emergency room visits for overdoses, along with fewer deaths.
To further increase success rates, authorities followed up with a plan that got people into treatment quickly if they requested it. To read more, visit the Toledo Blade.
