The Montgomery County Coroner’s office is warning residents of a possible spike in drug overdose deaths. Health officials say the opioid overdose death rate has fluctuated over the last few months. They’re warning the deaths may be linked to the dangerous opioid fentanyl.
Eric Blaine, director of the Montgomery County Coroner’s office, says the high number of suspected overdose deaths already in July is alarming.
“Anytime we see this we have to caution everybody that there is no safe way to use illegal drugs,” he says.
The coroner’s office advises drug users, and their friends and family members, to be aware of ways to reduce their risk of death from drug use.
Those steps include training in how to administer the drug known as Narcan or naloxone that reverses the effects of an overdose. Project Dawn Montgomery County offers FREE weekly overdose education and distribution every Wednesday.
You can find details on treatment and other recommendations below and on the Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County website
ADAMHS Safety recommendations for people who use drugs:
- Call Samaritan Crisis Care 24/7 at 224-4646 for crisis, treatment and referral.
- Have Narcan available, and someone who can administer it, in case of an overdose.
- Do not use drugs containing fentanyl.
- Do not use drugs alone.
- Do not share needles.
- In the event of an overdose, call 911 immediately.
Here are some resources available that the public can use to help prevent overdose deaths.
- Attend Naloxone/Narcan training. Project Dawn Montgomery County offers FREE weekly naloxone overdose education & distribution every Wednesday at Noon at 601 Edwin C. Moses Blvd, Door F, CrisisCare entrance in Dayton. (Please arrive 15 minutes early to register). Project Dawn will also schedule training during evenings and weekends by the request of businesses, faith-based organizations, service groups, and other community groups. Please call 937.734.8333 to schedule a group training.
- Be knowledgeable about local treatment options. Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) maintains a list of local addiction and mental health treatment options on a free smart phone app GetHelpNowMontgomeryCounty, as well as online screening tools at http://www.mcadamhs.org under the “Treatment & Support” tab.
- Sign up for Know! E-Alerts. Know! Parent Tips, part of Ohio’s “Start Talking! Building a Drug-Free Future” campaign, provides twice-monthly emails for parents, guardians and caregivers with tips that contain current facts about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as action steps they can take to help children resist peer pressure. http://starttalking.ohio.gov/Prevention/KNOW.aspx
- Complete a Mental Health First Aid course. This 8-hour course will equip you on how to start a conversation with a family member, friend or co-worker when you recognize they may be experiencing mental health or substance use crisis. To attend a local course contact ADAMHS at 937-443-0416.
- Visit CarePoint. CarePoint consists of various services to help those who inject drugs reduce the chances they will do additional harm to themselves and others. The program includes the exchange of used syringes for clean ones, and referrals for substance abuse treatment and other health and social services. Call Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County at 973-496-7133 for more information.
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