Lack of Drug Addiction Treatment Services in La Porte Emphasized in Opioid Presentation

LA PORTE, Ind. - April 24, 2018 - PRLog -- The need for more drug addiction treatment services and new ways to combat the opioid crisis were the focuses of a presentation held last week in La Porte, Indiana.

Hosted by the Health Care Foundation of La Porte, the event presented for the first time new findings of the La Porte Opioid Study, which was commissioned by the foundation.

In addition to addressing opioid abuse and addiction in La Porte County, the study included data about challenges in tackling the opioid epidemic and ways to target the community's needs.

Lawmakers, residents, and members of local organizations attended the presentation to hear the findings of the study.

During the presentation, Dr. Jennifer Walthall, the secretary of the Family in Social Security Administration stated that Indiana has seen a surge of at least 1,000 percent in opioid deaths in less than 20 years.

Walthall also said she believes that this crisis is still going to peak.

According to the new study, 270,000 Indiana residents who are older than 12 misused a prescription opioid in the past year. And 24,000 used heroin.

At least 50 percent of La Porte residents who entered an addiction treatment facility in La Porte needed help with an opioid dependency.

The new study shows that La Porte's non-fatal opioid overdose rates are higher than the rates seen in Indiana; Naloxone can be purchased in five La Porte locations while seven doctors have proper authorization to prescribe buprenorphine.

The speakers at the event emphasized that more addiction treatment services are needed in La Porte. In particular, they said, inpatient, detox, and medication-assisted treatment services for opioid use disorders.

There are five mental health centers in La Porte County, but they offer only outpatient therapy services and there are only three mental health centers in nearby counties that offer medication-assisted addiction treatment services.

President of the Health Care Foundation of La Porte, Maria Fruth, stated that she believes it is important to have solid numbers to assist the public in understanding more about the opioid epidemic and that way attempt to control the negative impacts of it.

The study, she said, also looked to highlight what measures are already working and continue improving them.

Fruth's foundation hopes to get La Porte to become one of the top ten healthiest communities in the state by the year 2030.

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/04/24/addiction-tre...