Indiana will get almost $12.6 million as part of a multi-state settlement related to the opioid epidemic. Consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to pay a total of $573 million to 46 states, Washington D.C., and five U.S. territories.
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Last night’s Shady Rest Committee public hearing was emotionally charged with various members of the community coming out to show support, ask questions and express concerns over Ted Hayden and Gregg Erickson’s proposal to utilize the county building for an addiction recovery facility.
Those speaking in favor of the “David’s Courage” program taking occupancy of the Shady Rest Home included County Health officials, recovered addicts and family members personally impacted by addiction, as well as people who wanted to see the historic structure utilized to help the community. Continue reading
Opioid-antidote Narcan is having an impact on the number of overdose deaths. According to the Indiana State Department of Health’s winter newsletter, the rate of unintentional drug poisoning deaths increased by nearly 900 percent from 1999 to 2015. In 2016, over 1,800 Hoosiers died from drug poisoning, mainly from opioids.
The opioid crisis affects everyone and it is not being overlooked in Marshall County.
According to the Marshall County Health Department figures, the number of overdose deaths due to opioid and prescription drug abuse went from one in 2015 to 13 in 2016 and 16 already in 2017. County Attorney Jim Clevenger presented information to the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning asking them to consider joining an Indianapolis firm to pursue opioid litigation in a multi-district, federal litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of highly addictive prescription medications. Clevenger noted that some prescriptions could be in question. Continue reading
Hoosiers battling opioid addiction have a new online resource to help them find the help they need. Governor Eric Holcomb announced the launch of Indiana’s Next Level Recovery website Monday.
Health problems related to opioid use are being tracked by the Indiana State Department of Health. County-level statistics on things like opioid overdoses resulting in a trip to the emergency room or death, as well as diseases like Hepatitis C that may indicate the sharing of needles, are all included in the new county opioid profiles. Continue reading
Indiana will soon have some additional resources available to help prevent overdose deaths from prescription opioids. The state has gotten a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States program. It aims to provide resources to help states fight prescription drug overuse, misuse, abuse, and overdose. Continue reading
