Drug overdose deaths down in Westmoreland County
Herald-Standard
Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha, shown in this 2017 file photo, said the county’s overdose deaths dropped from 193 in 2017 to 122 in 2018.
Drug overdoses in Westmoreland County dropped to their lowest since 2014. Coroner Kenneth Bacha reported 122 drug or alcohol overdose deaths in 2018.
Encouraging numbers have come out of the Westmoreland County coroner’s office, showing a decrease in overdose deaths like neighboring Washington, Fayette and Greene counties.
Coroner Kenneth Bacha reported 122 overdose deaths in 2018 — a significant drop from the record high number of 193 in 2017, and lower than 2016’s total of 174 and 2015’s total of 126 overdose deaths.
“If it would have just slowed down from the 193 in the previous year, I would have been happy; if it leveled off, I would have been thrilled,” said Bacha. “But to see it drop 37 percent in one year, I’m absolutely elated by that.”
More specific declines compared to 2017 were noted with Fentanyl related overdoses decreased by 40 percent, prescription opioid-related overdoses decreased 28 percent and heroin-elated overdoses decreased 4 percent. Local data provided by Bacha’s office listed four overdose deaths in both Monessen and Rostraver Township, two each in Mount Pleasant and East Huntingdon and South Huntingdon townships and one each in Sewickley Township and West Newton.
Hempfield Township had the most overdose death at 11.
Bacha said he first saw a significant drop in December 2017, and thought it might have been a fluke, but the trend continued into and through 2018. Officials in Fayette, Washington and Greene counties also reported seeing decreases in overdose deaths in 2018.
Bacha attributed the drop to a combination of factors that include the formation of a county drug overdose task force a few years ago, law enforcement doing an outstanding job of making arrests of drug dealers, increased awareness, prevention programs in schools and billboards and television and having overdose-reversing drugs like Narcan and Noloxone in the hands of laypeople.
“I think a lot of it was distribution of Noloxone being readily available to individuals,” said Elizabeth Comer, the director of clinical and case management services for the Westmoreland County Drug and Alcohol Commission.
Comer said other factors that played a part was outreach and training as well as access to treatment facilities 24/7.
“Someone always has access to treatment,” she said.
Bacha said, for years, the county didn’t have impatient treatment, but recently Excela Frick Hospital through Gateway Rehab, doubled their beds for such treatment from 16 to 32.
“There’s so much more available close to home,” Bacha said.
Comer said another key factor were the partnerships formed with different entities coming together like community support, various human service agencies, the FDA, first responders and hospitals.
“Everyone’s now starting to work together to combat the opioid epidemic,” Comer said. “They’re breaking down silos.”
While the true victory is saving lives, Bacha said the decrease in overdose deaths also save taxpayer dollars. Last year, the county spent $567,000 for autopsies, toxicology, transportation and man hours involved, less than they spent the year before.
While the news of the decline is encouraging, Bacha said it doesn’t mean there is not continued cause for concern. Comer agrees.
“I think any time you have a decrease in deaths, it’s something encouraging,” Comer said. “At the same time, we know opioids aren’t the only problem countywide and statewide.”
Comer said in their area around in the Mon Valley, there’s still many addictions on the rise like methamphetamines, alcohol and cocaine, but with the opioid epidemic on everyone’s mind, the spotlight isn’t shone as bright on those.
“Our current mission is to serve someone despite what they’re using,” Comer said. “That’s why we really promote recovery because recovery works.”