DAYTON — Counties in the Miami Valley are seeing fewer overdose deaths, and for some counties, overdose deaths are down almost 40 percent this year.
News Center 7’s Amber Jenkins looked deeper into the stats for overdoses and learned what’s driving the numbers down.
Saraji Clay, of Vandalia, said you’re worth giving yourself a chance. “No matter how many times it takes.”
Clay is a mother of two who has a story of recovery.
“I hold on to it because I never, ever want to be that person again,” Clay said.
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As an ’80s baby, Clay grew up in her grandparents’ Vandalia home with her brother, developing into a preschool teacher and doting mother.
But life wasn’t the same after she went to the doctor for back pain.
“I was prescribed a lot of narcotics,” Clay said.
Clay developed an addiction and lost everything, including her job, children, and her worth. But she became familiar with another symptom of addiction – an overdose.
“It was like with each overdose it was almost like I had just fallen asleep, but the waking up is ‘Oh my gosh,’” Clay said.
Narcan saved her life. In fact, it took 16 doses.
“Being told 16 shots of Narcan is what brought me back. That’s uncalled for because they generally don’t do more than four at least during that time. So, April 1 of 2019, in my clean date,” Clay said.
She is more than 6 years into a better, sober life, after teetering between life and death six times. However, officials at the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services said overdoses are decreasing.
Collen Oakes with Montgomery County ADAMHS said, “2017 was our worst year of overdose deaths in Montgomery County. We were at 566, and we led the nation in overdose deaths that year.”
Now, 7 years later, Oakes said overdoses have decreased every year since. In 2024, there were 177 overdose deaths. And, so far in 2025, around 130 people in Montgomery County have died from an overdose.
Oakes told News Center 7 there’s a reason why dozens of people are still breathing after an overdose this year.
“We have a lot of great initiatives for people to carry Naloxone. We do Naloxone training, and we offer free Naloxone. That is truly saving lives,” Oakes said.
While ADAMHS can back up their efforts with numbers, Clay was not aware of the statistics but did notice a trend in those fighting addiction.
“The amount of harm reduction things that are being handed out and the need for more each time, you know. I wouldn’t say that because they’re losing those 10 packs. They’re using those packs,” Clay said.
She works as an outreach specialist for Montgomery County, using her story and experience to help others through addiction.
Clay sees the decrease in overdose deaths as a sign, meaning there’s still work to do.
“Statistically, there may be fewer fatal overdoses, but it doesn’t mean there’s less overdoses,” Clay said.
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