Whatcom County Health Organizations Address Opioid Crisis

0 Shares

Like communities across the nation, Whatcom County is in the grip of an opioid epidemic. Addiction is affecting our communities, our health care, public health, and criminal justice systems, and the lives of too many Whatcom County residents. Opioids are a leading cause of death in our state. Nationally, more Americans now die of drug overdoses than from car accidents. In Whatcom County, the Washington State Department of Health reports that 69 residents died between 2012 and 2016 as a result of opioids. That’s a rate of 7 people per 100,000. For many, opioid addiction can be traced to the use of prescription pain medications. Four of every five heroin users in the United States report that their addiction began through a reliance on such medications.

Although the problem is daunting, the good news is that our community is taking action. Together, we’re educating about opioids, preventing overdose, and treating addiction. The Washington State Health Care Authority recently launched a statewide education campaign, “Starts with One.” Locally, the Whatcom County Health Department has led a coalition of community organizations, including Unity Care NW, to address this crisis. Our local “Whatcom Has Hope” campaign provides educational resources about opioid addiction, prevention and response.

A growing number of health care and behavioral health providers are also now providing treatment for opioid use disorder. Unity Care NW is proud to be joining those in our community who offer Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT). MAT is a combination of medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone, with counseling and behavioral interventions that can treat opiate use disorder.

Unity Care NW was recently awarded $285,000 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health and substance abuse services at our community health center. The focus of our efforts will be treatment, prevention and increasing awareness about opioid addiction and co-occurring disorders. We are in the process of creating a chemical dependency and MAT program that will better integrate mental health, substance use and primary care services for our patients.

As treatment options increase and educational efforts expand, there are lots of ways that we can all reduce the effects of opioids in our community:

  • Lock up your meds. If you have prescription pain medications at home, keep them locked up. Unsecured medications in medicine cabinets are a primary cause of misuse.
  • Safely dispose of your unused and unwanted medications. There are a number of drop-off locations throughout Whatcom County where you can safely dispose of unused, expired, or unwanted medications. Keep them from being misused, and dispose of them in a way that is safe to our landfills and waterways.
  • If you suffer from chronic pain, talk to your health care provider about alternatives to opioids for pain management. Consider acupuncture, yoga, qi gong and mindfulness training, which can be more effective than opioids in coping with pain.
  • Don’t take opioid pain medications for any longer than needed. Opioid dependence can develop within just five days.
  • Learn how to recognize overdose and how to respond. Check out org for information about signs of overdose. If you know someone who struggles with addiction, consider obtaining a Naloxone kit. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose and provide time to get help by calling 9-1-1.
  • Learn how to help save a life. If you have a loved one who suffers from opioid use disorder, get connected to local resources that provide free training and emergency overdose medication (Naloxone).

Together, we can prevent opioid dependence and support treatment for those in our community experiencing addiction.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
0 Shares