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Clayton County Health District

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Clayton County Health District

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Opioid Program

What are Opioids? Opioids are natural or synthetic chemicals that reduce feelings of acute and/or chronic pain.  3 out of 5 opioid related deaths can be prevented.

Every day, more than 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids, and more than 40 people die from prescription opioid overdoses. (1)(2) From 1999 to 2015, more than 183,000 people died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids. (3) Prescription opioids are often prescribed following surgery or injury to treat moderate-to-severe pain, or for health conditions such as cancer. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of prescription opioids for the treatment of chronic pain unrelated to cancer, despite serious risks and a lack of evidence about their long-term effectiveness. Overdoses from opioids are on the rise and killing Americans of all races and ages. Families and communities across the country are coping with the health, emotional, and economic effects of this epidemic.

Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

(1) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Highlights of the 2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) findings on drug-related emergency department visits. The DAWN Report. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2013. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DAWN127/sr127-DAWN-highlights.htm. Accessed December 2016.

(2) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. Facing addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s report on alcohol, drugs, and health. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; November 2016.

(3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research (WONDER). Atlanta, GA: National Center for Health Statistics; 2016. http://wonder.cdc.gov. Accessed December 2016.

WE NEED YOU!

  • We Need You Here! – If you are struggling with opioid addiction, we have resources to help you. The world is a better place with you in it
  • We Need Your Help! – Teachers, Parents, Family members, Church Members, friends, caregivers etc.
  • We Need Your Story! – If you are a recovering addict, please share your story with someone who may need to hear your testimony. Please help to save a life.

Recovery is within your reach. For access to services and immediate crisis help, call the Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL) at 1-800-715-4225, available 24/7.

Resources are available. Please call your local Health Department for details.