The opioid epidemic continues to clime in Ohio and Portage County is no exception. Since 2002, the rate of drug overdose deaths has increased by 79 percent in the United States. There’s been a 200 percent increase in deaths involving opioids since 2000. In Portage County, there were 46 drug overdose deaths between 2012 and 2016 according to the CDC. The death rate in 2016 in Ohio was 32.9 percent, third highest in the country.

The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County is one of many places working to help those who are affected by the opioid crisis and drug addiction, among other issues and illnesses. 

“We’re always trying to expand because the need is growing, there’s no doubt,” Karyn Kravetz, director of community relations, said. “It’s our job to fund, plan and monitor the mental health and drug addiction programs for the residents of Portage County.”

The board funds nonprofits in the Portage County area, such as Family and Community Services and Townhall II. Also, the board is helping with the opioid efforts.

“With the opioid epidemic, we did a lot of work with that and partnered with our health district in getting Naloxone kits out in the community,” Kravetz said. “Naloxone is something that reverses the effects of a drug overdose when someone has stopped breathing. We have gone out and trained people in the community on how to use it and what to look for – signs and symptoms of an overdose, how to administer Naloxone, which is a nasal spray. We all trained different police, all the police officers in Portage County carry it. It’s free to anyone in Portage County.”

While the board does community training at several times during the year, Kravetz said if a person were to call the health department at any time, they can still be trained by appointment.

The Mental Health and Recovery Board also has new peer recovery specialists with their team.

“They formerly were addicted to some kind of substance – alcohol, opiates, whatever – and now have been in recovery for several years, and we paid for them to be trained to be recovery specialists,” Kravetz said. “If somebody is coming for help, they’re still getting counseling… then they also have a peer recovery coach as somebody to help them on more of the day-to-day stuff. Sometimes someone who has lived that same life experience can get through and relate at a different level.”

Townhall II, which the board helps fund, also has advocates for those addicted among other programs.

“Anyone who needs and advocate to help them, even if they’re going to court or something, they have someone to stand by their side,” Melony Butler said.

Other places in Portage, such as MADD, or Mothers Against Drunk Driving, focus on one particular area for helping those who are addicted. Tina Foley has been with MADD for six months.

“I started for MADD, and I think most people work for MADD because they were personally affected by a drunk or drugged driver, either by their family or they personally were harmed and they are hoping to create change so that another person doesn’t get harmed,” Foley said. “MADD helped my parents during a time when I lost my brother, so I work for them because I want to give back.”

MADD’s Ravenna location increased its programming starting in 2015 to accommodate drugged driving as well as drunk driving.

“Especially in the Cleveland area, we have modified our program so it definitely addresses alcohol, but it also addresses drugged driving,” Foley said. “Now we have a five-tier program where three of those tiers are to address drugs and alcohol, and it’s an education component on the self, how their decisions to use affects the family, and then we have our forensic examiner who comes and speaks about the science of alcohol and drugs and how it affects them.”

Each location has one thing in common: preventative measures. While there is a lot being done for those who are addicted and need help, there is more still being done to prevent the problem of addiction in the first place, or prevent it from happening again.

“It’s going to take some time. And that’s the thing about prevention is you don’t see the effects immediately but we know we will eventually,” Kravetz said.

At Townhall II, they are affiliated with the Horizon House, a program to help get women clean and stay clean, as well as “prevention and education programs for… alcohol and drugs.

“It’s a great program. Regardless of what you’re looking for, there’s always some kind of resource here,” Butler said.

Kravetz said one of the biggest changes she has seen has been the community involvement. It’s not just those who are addicted anymore, but grandparents worried for children and grandchildren. The stigma, she said, has been getting better as well, because “there’s nothing wrong with getting help.

“There are a lot of resources available, help is out there, people just need to reach out,” Kravetz said. “Treatment works, there is hope and people get better.”