Opioid Crisis: Activating Hope Awareness The numbers are staggering. In 2011, St. Elizabeth Healthcare emergency departments in six locations saw a total of 252 heroin overdoses. Since, that statistic has dramatically climbed to 1,584 in 2016. Through July 2017, there were 1,379 overdose patients seen in the emergency departments. Related to the opioid epidemic, there is a growing outbreak of hepatitis C stemming from intravenous (IV) drug users sharing infected needles with one another or using needles more than once. The potential spread of HIV is also a growing concern. The number of babies treated with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) at St. Elizabeth has increased significantly, but we are making strides to reverse this trend: 2011: 26 2015: 106 2016: 86 Facts & Figures 35%: Increase in opioid overdose-related visits to the emergency department from 2015 to 2016; projected to increase to 49% from 2016 to 2017 188: Drug-related deaths in 2014, with 70 involving heroin specifically 244: Drug-related deaths in 2015, with 107 involving heroin specifically 228: Drug-related deaths in 2016, with 82 involving heroin specifically and 132 involving Fentanyl specifically $80,000: Average lifetime cost for medication to treat patients with hepatitis C $600,000: Average cost for liver transplant $600,000 to $800,000: Average lifetime cost to treat patients with HIV $120,000: Per episode cost of endocarditis, another infection related to IV drug use 9%: Estimated amount that local governments in the United States spend from their budgets per year on issues related to substance use disorder $6 billion: Estimated amount per year Kentucky is spending on issues related to substance use disorder 20.8 million: People living in the United States dealing with substance use disorder; 1.5 times more than all cancers combined $442 billion: Spent per year on healthcare, loss of productivity, and the justice system costs associated with substance use disorder; in contrast, $245 billion is spent on diabetes 52,000: Individual lives lost in the Unites States due to drug overdose in 2016; for context, approximately 58,000 U.S. citizens lost their lives in the 12 to 15 years of the Vietnam War 24/7 Helpline Trained counselors are available 24/7 to help families navigate the treatment network. Immediate assessment and access to treatment follows the initial call. Kentucky: (859) 415-9280 Ohio: (513) 281-7880 Additional Resources Addiction Services Council Center for Disease Control Comprehensive Opioid Response with Twelve Steps (COR-12) Drug Free Teens Inject Hope Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin: Don’t Let Them Die Campaign Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy National Institute on Drug Abuse NKY Drug Take Back Boxes NKY Hates Heroin NKY Health Department – Free Naloxone kits and syringe exchange information NKY Health Department ‘Story Map’ addressing the Heroin Epidemic NKY’s collective response to the heroin epidemic Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Viral Hepatitis: Prevalence, Prevention, and Treatment Five things to know: In Northern Kentucky, if all 800 current cases of hepatitis C were treated, it would be an increased cost of $64 million to our community. If even a portion of the IV drug users contract HIV, the costs rise into the hundreds of millions. Taxpayers directly pay for those on Medicaid and employers and citizens will pay through increased insurance premiums. In 2015, the five states with the highest rates of death due to drug overdose were West Virginia (41.5 per 100,000), New Hampshire (34.3 per 100,000), Kentucky (29.9 per 100,000), Ohio (29.9 per 100,000) and Rhode Island (28.2 per 100,000). *Source: Center for Disease Control 85% of all opioid prescriptions in the world are written in the United States; in 2016, enough opioid prescriptions were written for every Kentucky man, woman, and child to have 79 opioid pills. (Gov. Matt Bevin, National Rx Drug and Heroin Summit, April 2017) What's Being Done St. Elizabeth has been at the forefront of confronting this community crisis alongside several valuable partners, leading important educational initiatives and awareness campaigns. The direction: Collaborating with community partners to create a regional strategy to advocate for change. Increasing awareness and education to everyday residents and concerned citizens. Preventing new users. Promoting the health and wellness of current users through evidence-based treatment and recovery support. Reducing harm for IV drug users. Treating a Patient with Substance Use Disorder Emergency Department – critical care pathway Urgent medical treatment for overdose Connection with peer support/case managers Assessment and treatment with evidence-based practices for opioid addiction Follow-up and referral to outpatient or treatment facility Journey Recovery Center – outpatient practice plan Call (859) 757-0717 for more information Opened July 15, 2015 Capacity: 850 to 1,000 active patients Highly-trained specialists in addiction medicine, behavioral health and case management Recovery support through case management specialized groups Dual Diagnosis (behavioral health and substance use disorder) Partnership with Solving Unmeet Needs (SUN) Behavioral Health – Northern Kentucky Hospital currently under construction Anticipated opening February/March 2018 Total 197 beds Behavioral health emergency services In partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, SUN will serve as a behavioral health solution to the Northern Kentucky region Treating the patient with substance use disorder who is pregnant Call (859) 301-2501 for more information about the Baby Steps program More than 259 pregnant and parenting women have been cared for to date Establish obstetrics (OB) care Provides specialized treatment/detox, education, support and care for the pregnant and parenting women with opiate use disorder, including: Individual meetings to evaluate necessary support and resources Group meetings/educational sessions 12-step meetings (started first 12-step support group specifically for pregnant and parenting women with addiction) NAS/Newborn withdrawal education Working with the Community Advocated for comprehensive change in legislation to expand treatment funding and strengthen law enforcement. Created a Vivitrol delivery option with the Kenton County jail system. Advocated for syringe exchange programs to stop the spread of infectious diseases. Program is operational in Grant County. Resolutions passed in Kenton County, Covington and Campbell County to establish programs. Ongoing conversations with city officials in Newport, Bellevue and Dayton. Funded a hotline in partnership with the Fiscal Courts. Educated the community through schools or organizations using the Hazelden Betty Ford approach. Multiple speaking engagements at town halls, schools, places of worship and Fiscal Courts.