There have been 40 drug overdoses in Greene County, including two suspected overdose deaths, since last Wednesday, October 16. KOLR 10 is reporting the Greene County Medical Examiner's Office said a third suspected overdose death occurred late Tuesday. And area agencies are working together to try to prevent any more deaths.
The Springfield Police Department is investigating the reason for the increase in overdoses. But Springfield-Greene County Health Department director, Clay Goddard, said they think it might be that fentanyl or carfentanil is involved, and users are experiencing a stronger product than they’re used to.
Meanwhile, the health department is working to get the word out about ways users can try to protect themselves. He said this conversation may be uncomfortable for some in the community, but it’s a necessary step to take right now
"While the best pathway to being safe is to avoid drug use, we're trying to be realistic here and pragmatic, and harm reduction is a piece of that," he said, "and so that means, you know, simple messages like 'don't use drugs alone,' you know, 'stagger use in case something bad happens.' I heard David Stoeker from Preferred Family Health Care say that you can't use Narcan if you're incapacitated, for example, so it's important that people who are still using do so in as safe a possible manner."
The overdose reversal drug, Narcan, is a good tool to have on hand, Goddard said, but those who administer it still need to call for help. "Some of the product that we've seen used is so strong that the inhalational Narcan is not totally effective, so I want to encourage people, if they encounter somebody that appears to have overdosed, they need to call 911 immediately."
The opioid epidemic is not letting up, according to Goddard. He called it a very challenging and complex issue, and that’s why several organizations in the area are working together to address it.
"This is going to go beyond governmental departments. It's going to involved outside entities to offer counseling, treatment, support groups," he said, "so, we're going to try to leverage all of the community's capacaties to deal with this crisis."
They’re also looking to other communities to come up with solutions.
The epidemic is going to be a long-term issue and one we’ll have to address as a community, Goddard said. "And it will take us awhile to get our arms around it, so we're going to have to have that mindset that we're going to need to be in this for the long haul."
Opioid addiction, he said, does not discriminate. It impacts all demographics.
Help is available in Springfield for those who are ready to seek treatment, including at Burrell Recovery Services (417) 893-7760, CoxHealth Center for Addictions (417) 269-2273 and Jordan Valley Community Health Center (417) 831-0150.
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