MONTGOMERY COUNTY — In 2017 Montgomery County was ranked first in Ohio and the nation for overdose deaths, according to a report by the Ohio Department of Health.
At BrightView, an outpatient addiction treatment facility, Renena Hale told News Center 7′s Gabrielle Enright that she and others of the community have been working hard to change this statistic.
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Hale is the community outreach manager of BrightView’s Centerville location.
New numbers released by the Ohio Department of Health show the hard work is paying off. Montgomery County is now ranked 18 in the state for overdose deaths.
Hale said she contributes the decrease in deaths to the strong community and medication treatment. Hale said most of the people she works with carry Narcan, a drug that can treat narcotic overdoses, and that it has saved a lot of lives.
But Hale worries about COVID-19′s effect on those who may already feel isolated, and are turning to alcohol or drugs to cope.
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Even experimenting with drugs once can be deadly, Hale warns. Earlier this month the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center warned the public about fentanyl being pressed into Xanax and other medications.
This holiday season Hale encourages everyone to keep their eyes on loved ones who might be struggling.
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