ROANOKE, Va. – Drug addiction is a continuing problem across the nation and in our area, but Roanoke has seen some progress.
As reported by 10 News, Roanoke City ranked second for non-fatal drug overdoses two years ago. Now, it’s no longer in one of the top ten spots when it comes to non-fatal drug overdoses in the last 12 months, according to data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System.
NEMSIS is a tracker that looks at the numbers from EMS agencies across the country about non-fatal and fatal drug overdoses.
As far as fatal drug overdoses last year, Roanoke doesn’t have a top spot either. Instead, Petersburg City had the highest numbers in Virginia. It ranked fifth with Richmond City right behind it for the top ten counties.
The Bradley Free Clinic’s Hope Initiative, which provides behavioral health services like substance abuse, said it’s seen progress through the services it provides.
“Finding recovery housing. It could be getting into detox but someone to help them navigate is so critical. That’s why the program is very unique,” said Executive Director Janine Underwood with the Bradley Free Clinic.
She said in the last eight years they’ve been open, they’ve seen almost 3,000 people. Underwood also said they see an average of 450 people a year. More than 80 percent of people also get into treatment programs through the Hope Initiative.
The group is also expanding its services. This year, it started working with three free clinics to replicate the services it provides in Bristol, Petersburg and Kilmarnock. Next year, it plans on replicating the program in three other free clinics across the state.
On Tuesday, they will announce those changes and honor some of its founding members.