DOVER, DE (Jan. 3, 2023) – Through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), Delaware was recently among 47 states to contribute data to the CDC’s Dec. 16, 2022, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, titled “Drug Overdose Deaths Among Persons Aged 10-19 Years – United States, July 2019-December 2021.” The Division of Public Health (DPH) utilizes SUDORS to track available trends and characteristics of drug overdose deaths and inform prevention and response efforts.

Although middle school and high school aged youth in the U.S. reported using fewer illicit drugs in 2020, there was a 94% increase in overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020 among this age group and a 20% increase from 2020 to 2021, according to the CDC report. From July-December 2019 to July-December 2021, the median monthly overdose deaths increased 109%. Despite reporting less illicit drug use among this population overall, the CDC points to the potency of the drugs as a major contributing factor to the increase in overdose deaths among youth. During the same time period, deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased 182%. Approximately 90% of overdose deaths involved opioids, and 83.9% involved illicit manufactured fentanyl.

Most youth who overdosed had no prior opioid use history, according to the CDC. Approximately a quarter of the deaths included evidence of counterfeit pills. However, this data may be underreported. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has documented counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl being sold to youth through social media. DPH has responded with an educational fentanyl campaign targeted to youth stating, “If you get your drugs from a DM and not a doctor, odds are they’re laced with fentanyl.” This campaign is running on various social media platforms. 

Additionally, two-thirds of decedents had a potential bystander present, although most provided no overdose response. It is important that family and friends recognize the warning signs of drug use and respond quickly to an overdose. The CDC states that parents should monitor adolescent behavior. DPH and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health developed the toolkit, Talk2Kids About Drugs, which is available on HelpIsHereDE.com. This toolkit has resources for parents and educators on how to talk to kids about drugs and alcohol. In addition, DPH has worked with the Department of Education on new health modules for high schoolers on drug prevention and education. However, more opportunities for opioid response including Narcan administration training for parents, staff, and youth ages 14 and older is needed so that Narcan is readily available.

The CDC states that roughly 41% of decedents had a history of a mental health condition or treatment for substance use disorder. It is important that the community supports youth by implementing programs to prevent adverse childhood experiences. The Division of Public Health created the #MyReasonWhyDE campaign so that youth can promote their reason to remain drug free and embrace a resilient mind frame. However, if youth are struggling with their mental health or substance use disorder, there are resources available on HelpIsHereDE for immediate treatment in person, by phone or text, or online. Crisis intervention services for children under 18 are available 24/7 for parents and caregivers at 800-969-4357 or by texting DE to 741-741. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call the DHSS 24/7 Crisis Hotline to be connected to treatment and recovery options. In New Castle County, call 1-800-652-2929. Or in Kent and Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785. For free 24/7 counseling, coaching, and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services call the Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE. To search for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpIsHereDE.com. 

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The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. 
  

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or speech-disabled can contact DPH by first dialing 711 using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free; to learn more about how it works, visit delawarerelay.com.  

Health Officials Fear Opioid Epidemic Has Not Plateaued

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 8, 2022) – In a heartbreaking sign that the opioid epidemic has not plateaued in Delaware, deaths from suspected overdoses in November set a new monthly high total, according to death investigation reports from the Division of Forensic Science.

In November 2022, 43 people died from suspected overdoses in Delaware. That surpasses the previous monthly high total of 42 set in May of this year. The 43 deaths included 21 people from New Castle County, 18 from Sussex County and four from Kent County.

Through Nov. 30, preliminary reports from the Division of Forensic Science show that 376 people have died from suspected overdoses in Delaware. That total is an 18% increase over a similar period in 2021. In 2021, Delaware reported 515 overdose deaths, with more than 80% involving the use of fentanyl, a synthetic pain reliever that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. November’s total of 43 deaths is about 50% higher than the average total deaths for the month of November, dating back to 2015.

“These deaths are heartbreaking for families across our state,” said Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Molly Magarik. “We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term consequences for society, and behavioral health issues – including substance use disorder – is one of those consequences. The holiday season can add another layer of stress and anxiety to people’s lives, so we encourage Delawareans who need support – whether they are actively using substances or not – to reach out to talk with trained counselors, their own doctor, or another person they trust. At DHSS, we will continue to prioritize such harm-reduction strategies as training more loved ones to use Narcan, the medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, and helping more people get connected to the treatment they need to begin their recovery.”

To help address behavioral health needs of Delawareans, DHSS has several ways for individuals or their family members to connect:

• Call the 24/7 Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE or 1-833-946-7333 – a single point of contact in which callers can connect to a variety of resources and information, including support from clinicians and peer specialists plus crisis assistance.
• Stop by one of DHSS’ Bridge Clinics for an in-person assessment.
• Visit TreatmentConnection.com to find out which treatment providers are located near you.
• Visit HelpIsHereDE.com, DHSS’ one-stop website where Delawareans can search for treatment services and resources in Delaware or nearby states.
• Call 988 if the individual is in crisis and needs immediate support.
• Call 911 if someone has overdosed and needs emergency medical attention.
• Learn where to find Narcan training, get the medication through the mail, and download the OpiRescueDE App here.

Joanna Champney, director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH), urged individuals in active substance use to consult with a medical provider immediately or call DHSS’ Delaware Hope Line to discuss treatment options. “Every day, we see the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on people’s lives,” Champney said. “Especially for those who are vulnerable, it has added stress to their lives, negatively impacted their mental health, and isolated them too often from services. Plus, we know the holidays are an additional stressor.”

“DSAMH is funding expansions of the continuum of care for substance use treatment services in each county,” Champney added. “We have increased our withdrawal management capacity by about 43% and our residential treatment by 22%. We have bolstered outpatient services by about 36% and our sober living recovery residences are up 3% overall. “For people who are uninsured or underinsured, the State will fund their treatment services. We’re also funding mobile treatment services and we have transportation services available. We want to reduce as many barriers to health care as possible.”

Champney encouraged anyone who is using substances or suffering from addiction to call for help, see a medical provider, or ask a police officer or another first responder for help. Family members can reach out on behalf of their loved ones, too. “Our first priority is to save lives,” she said.

Under Delaware’s 911/Good Samaritan Law, people who call 9-1-1 to report an overdose and the person in medical distress cannot be arrested for low-level drug crimes.

Interim Division of Public Health Director Dr. Rick Hong urged those in active use to get Narcan through one of DSAMH’s Bridge Clinics, at a participating pharmacy – where no prescription is required – or at a Narcan training session.

“Narcan saves lives,” Dr. Hong said. “We urge anyone who needs access to Narcan to go to a Bridge Clinic, a training class or distribution event, or to a participating pharmacy to buy the overdose-reversing medication. We also encourage Delawareans to download OpiRescue Delaware, a smartphone app that provides lifesaving step-by-step instructions on how to respond to an overdose, including administration of Narcan.”

To find the Bridge Clinic in your county, training or distribution events, or a participating pharmacy, go to HelpIsHereDE.com, and click on the overdose prevention tab.

In addition, Dr. Hong praised Brandywine Counseling and Community Services’ Syringe Services Program, which provides outreach statewide. Brandywine Counseling’s mobile sites offer Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, and syringe services, and have a positive track record of connecting people to care for substance use disorder.

The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s Bridge Clinic locations and hours:

NEW CASTLE COUNTY
DSAMH Central Office
14 Central Ave.
New Castle, DE 19720
24/7
302-255-1650

New Castle County Hope Center
365 Airport Road
New Castle, DE 19720
Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun: 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
302-544-6815

KENT COUNTY
James W. Williams State Service Center
805 River Road, Third Floor
Dover, DE 19901
Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
302-857-5060

SUSSEX COUNTY
Thurman Adams State Service Center
546 S. Bedford St.
Georgetown, DE 19947
Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
302-515-3310

DOVER, DE (Dec. 6, 2022) ­– The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) would like to recognize High 5 Hospitality as the first hospitality group in Delaware to have all its restaurants achieve the Bronze Fork award as part of the Restaurant Accolade Program. High 5 Hospitality restaurants include Buffalo Wild Wings, Eggspectation, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Limestone BBQ, and the Stone Balloon with a total of 15 locations.

Initiated by DPH’s Office of Health Crisis Response (OHCR) in March 2022, the Restaurant Accolade Program has successfully trained management and staff at 66 restaurants to address substance use disorder. All are now Bronze Fork awardees. The next levels of certification are the Silver and Gold Forks. The program teaches staff in the food service industry to respond to an opioid overdose and helps restaurants create policies and workplace environments to support employees and patrons struggling with substance use disorder (SUD). Restaurants are among the industries whose workforce has had a high incidence of overdose. 

“We are proud of our leaders and team members for being the first hospitality group to achieve the Bronze Fork Award for all our locations,” said Lori Ewald, High 5 hospitality director of human resources and marketing. “Our teams were very responsive to the training, and we are looking forward to achieving the next level. This training has helped our team members gain an increased awareness of the opioid crisis and provided them with tools to save a life. When people ask why we participate in this program, my response is simple – Why wouldn’t we?”

OHCR has trained almost 400 Delaware restaurant employees on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose. Staff and restaurants were also given Narcan kits to use and keep on site. The Restaurant Accolade Program is one of OHCR’s initiatives aimed at reducing drug overdoses and substance use disorders across the state, while working to combat the stigma often associated with SUD.

“We recognize it is vital to meet individuals in the communities and spaces where they live, work and play and we appreciate all the restaurants that have partnered with us in this program” said OHCR Director Kate Brookins. “We are dedicated to providing support to restaurants and their patrons and staff in our fight to combat overdoses and addiction.”

Restaurants can schedule training and get more information by emailing OHCR@delaware.gov.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call the DHSS 24/7 Crisis Hotline to be connected to treatment and recovery options. In New Castle County, call 1-800-652-2929. Or in Kent and Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785.

For free 24/7 counseling, coaching, and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services call the Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE. To search for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit HelpIsHereDE.com.

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The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. 

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or speech-disabled can contact DPH by first dialing 711 using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free; to learn more about how it works, visit delawarerelay.com.

NEW CASTLE (March 3, 2022) – The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) is hosting free monthly Naloxone Access Training for all members of the community. All trainings can be found here: http://delaware-dsamh.eventbrite.com

Naloxone, known commonly by the brand-name Narcan, is a medication that is effective in reversing the effects of an opioid overdose in an individual. This is a free training and is open to the public. Participants will learn how to recognize and appropriately respond to an opioid overdose and are eligible to receive an Opioid Rescue Kit at the conclusion of their training. For more information, questions, or to schedule a group training, please email Narcan.train@delaware.gov or call 302-255-2777.

“Naloxone saves lives,” said DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik. “Until we can connect a person suffering from opioid use disorder to treatment, we will work with individuals, loved ones and concerned members of the community to make sure they are prepared to respond if an overdose does occur. We urge anyone who needs access to naloxone to attend one of these free training sessions, where they also will receive an Opioid Rescue Kit.”

Each training has two sessions available. The first session is a 30- to 45-minute classroom-style training in small groups with an informative presentation and plenty of time for practice and questions. This is the best option for all audiences. The second session is a Point of Distribution (POD)-style training event best for returning trainees, or those who have used their naloxone kit previously. The POD session is open for one hour, but participants should plan only for a 15-minute window to complete the training during this hour. Participants do NOT need to attend for the full hour of the POD session. At the completion of both training sessions, each participant is eligible to receive an Opioid Rescue Kit.

Trainings are currently being held monthly at the following venues, dates, and times. Due to ongoing and changing COVID-19 precautions, all attendees are asked to register via the EventBrite page to ensure compliance with state and facility/site restrictions. Available tickets through http://delaware-dsamh.eventbrite.com will be updated to reflect current capacity limitations at each location.

STARTING IN MARCH

Chapel on the DHSS Campus, 1901 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720
3rd Saturday of each month 11 a.m.-noon (training); noon-1 p.m. (POD)

Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, DE 19901
3rd Saturday of each month 2-3 p.m. (training); 3-4 p.m. (POD)
4th Thursday of each month 6-7 p.m. (training); 7-8 p.m. (POD)

Georgetown Public Library, 123 W. Pine St., Georgetown, DE 19947
1st Tuesday of each month 5-6 p.m. (training); 6-7: p.m. (POD)

Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes, DE 19958
2nd Saturday of each month 1-2 p.m. (training); 2-3 p.m. (POD)

Shipley State Service Center, 350 Virginia Ave, Seaford, DE 19973
3rd Tuesday of each month 11 a.m.-noon (training); noon-1 p.m. (POD)

Ocean View Police Department Training Room, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, DE 19970
4th Thursday of each month 2-3 p.m. (training); 3-4 p.m. (POD)

STARTING IN APRIL

Chapel on the DHSS Campus, 1901 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720
2nd Thursday of each month 11 a.m.-noon (training); noon-1 p.m. (POD)

Bear Library, 101 Governors Place, Bear, DE 19701
4th Monday of each month 5-6 p.m. (training); 6-7 p.m. (POD)

If you or a loved one is suffering from substance use disorder and need support, call DHSS’ 24/7 and confidential Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE (1-833-946-7333). A trained professional can offer a connection to treatment resources or services. For more information on overdose prevention, visit HelpIsHereDE.com.

MILLSBORO  — In response to six suspected overdose deaths, including four in Sussex County, that occurred over the holiday weekend, the Division of Public Health (DPH) will hold a Community Naloxone Training and Distribution event in Millsboro on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. DPH will distribute free naloxone kits to members of the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Millsboro Fire Company, 109 East State St., Millsboro, DE 19966.

Each kit contains two doses of naloxone, and members of the community who attend these events will receive one-on-one training on how to administer the overdose-reversing medication. The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) will also have representatives on hand to answer any questions about access to treatment for those struggling with substance use disorder. 

“We know that 80 percent of overdoses happen in a residence,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “If family or friends of someone overdosing have naloxone immediately accessible, it can mean the difference between life or death for that person. We urge anyone who might ever have a need for access to naloxone to attend this distribution event, and also to download OpiRescue Delaware, a new smartphone app that provides lifesaving step-by-step instructions on how to respond to an overdose, including administration of naloxone.”

For more information about OpiRescue Delaware, go to HelpIsHereDE.com, and click on the overdose prevention tab.

Within three to five minutes after administration, naloxone can counteract the life-threatening respiratory depression of an opioid-related overdose and stabilize a person’s breathing, which buys time for emergency medical help to arrive. DPH recommends calling 9-1-1 immediately if you find someone in the midst of a suspected overdose, starting rescue breathing, and then administering naloxone. Naloxone is not a replacement for emergency medical care and seeking immediate help and follow-up care is still vital.

As of today, Sept. 5, the Division of Forensic Science has reported a total of 194 suspected overdose deaths in Delaware this year. There is always a lag in terms of both toxicology analyses and death determinations. In 2018, there were 400 overdose deaths across the state, an increase of 16 percent from the 2017 total of 345 deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranked Delaware as number six in the nation for overdose deaths in 2017.

In 2018, first responders administered 3,728 doses of naloxone, compared to 2,861 in 2017, a 30 percent increase.

Funding for the Community Naloxone Distribution Initiative comes from state funding built into DPH’s budget for the first time in state fiscal year 2019, thanks to the advocacy of Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long and the Behavioral Health Consortium.

Community access to naloxone has increased significantly since 2014, when legislation was enacted making it available to the public. In 2017, Governor John Carney signed additional legislation ensuring pharmacists had the same legal protections as doctors, peace officers and good Samaritans when dispensing the medicine without a prescription.

Information on pharmacy access and training for naloxone, along with resources regarding prevention, treatment and recovery, are available on HelpisHereDE.com.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.