Treatment Access Center (TASC) in Wilmington to Host Sept. 20 Recovery Month Celebration

2019 Recovery MonthEvent includes recovery walk, treatment information, live performances and recovery stories

WILMINGTON (Sept. 19, 2019) –The Treatment Access Center (TASC), the primary liaison between the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) and the criminal justice system, will host its first event celebrating Recovery Month.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Recovery Month promotes and supports new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

The TASC Recovery Month Celebration will feature a recovery walk, food, live music, live spoken word performances, shared recovery stories. The event also will host treatment providers with information on their programs and services. The event is free and open to the public.

  • What: TASC Recovery Month Celebration
  • Who: TASC Staff & Clients DSAMH Staff Behavioral Health Providers Performers Public
  • When: Friday, Sept. 20 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Recovery Walk begins at 10 a.m.
  • Where: Treatment Access Center – Wilmington Facility – Parking Lot 801 S. Harrison St. Wilmington

For more information on TASC please visit: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsamh/tasc.html

For more information on National Recovery Month please visit: https://recoverymonth.gov/

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call DSAMH’s Crisis Hotline to talk to a trained professional about treatment and recovery options. In New Castle County, call 1-800-652-2929. In Kent or Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785. Or visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com to find treatment services and resources in Delaware or nearby states.


DPH Releases First Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report

WILMINGTON  – For the first time, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) through the integration of 12 multi-agency datasets, has developed a demographic picture of the Delawareans who died from drug overdoses in 2017. DPH released the Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report, Delaware, 2017, in Wilmington on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019.

In addition to providing an overview of drug overdose mortality trends, the report provides an in-depth look of the individuals who died of drug overdoses in Delaware in 2017. The report addresses the types of drugs used; if, how, and when the decedents interacted with Delaware health systems; and a description of key statewide efforts to address the drug overdose and substance use crisis. Health system interactions include: Emergency Department (ED) visits; Emergency Medical Services (EMS) encounters; prescriptions in the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP); treatment through the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ (DHSS) Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) contractors; and hospital discharges. Expanded analysis of health system interactions includes data on Department of Correction (DOC) interactions and Medicaid eligibility and claims.

“Too many Delaware families are impacted by the opioid crisis,” said Governor John Carney. “We are working across agencies to address this epidemic, and the data from this report will help us make informed decisions that guide us in developing effective interventions — with the ultimate goal of saving more lives.”

The Drug Overdose Mortality report followed one of the recommendations in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s July 2018 report, “A Blueprint for Transforming Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Delaware.” The Hopkins team recommended that Delaware use data to guide and monitor progress by linking multi-agency data to more fully understand individuals with substance use disorders and their utilization of Delaware’s systems.

Key Findings:
Of the 346 Delaware residents who died of a drug overdose in 2017, DPH identified 343 for the report’s study population. Overall, drug overdose decedents were primarily males (67%), between the ages of 25 and 54 years (76%), non-Hispanic white (79%), never married (59%), and had a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) (55%).

The top two occupational industries among males who died of drug overdoses were construction (36%) and the install, maintain, and repair industry (9.1%; includes mechanics, HVAC repair, engine repair, maintenance, and other occupations). The top two occupational industries among females were food service (14.7%) and office support (12.8%); however, 33% were not employed.

Opioids, a class of drugs that includes heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and others, accounted for the majority of drug overdose deaths (84%). Synthetic opioids other than methadone (e.g. fentanyl, tramadol, etc.) were responsible for the highest mortality rates among opioid drug overdose deaths (age-adjusted rate: 21.9 deaths per 100,000 population).

Eighty-one percent, or four out of five, persons who died of a drug overdose in 2017 interacted with a Delaware health system in the year prior to their deaths.

State officials say quantifying this information is critical as it helps those addressing the drug epidemic in Delaware to identify critical moments to engage those with substance use disorder (SUD) into treatment.

“I am thrilled that so many state agencies were able to pull together and provide critical data related to behavioral health for this report,” said Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, who chairs Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium. “This was one of the BHC’s goals and the results will allow us to focus our efforts, reduce stigma around the disease of addiction and save lives.”

“There is no question that we have more work to do up and down our state to reduce the toll that the opioid epidemic has taken on thousands of people in our state and their families,” said DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a practicing family physician. “But now we have more data to inform our path forward and to help us identify critical touchpoints where intervention can make a difference.”

A deeper look at the drug overdose decedents’ health system interactions shows:

ED: One in two drug overdose decedents (54.2%) visited a Delaware ED in the year prior to their death and 70% visited the ED within two years prior to their death. Not all visits in the year prior to death were related to the decedents’ drug use. In the year prior to their death, 23% of drug overdose decedents who had visited the ED had mental-health related diagnoses, 10 percent of decedents had a previous drug overdose ED visit, and 6.7% had a pain diagnosis related to their ED visit. Drug overdose and pain diagnoses were more often recorded among females than males.

EMS: Nearly half of decedents (43.1%) had a history of an EMS encounter not related to the death event in the year before their death. Twenty-three (6.7%) drug overdose decedents had an EMS encounter for a non-fatal drug overdose. Naloxone was administered to 39.1% of those decedents with a non-fatal overdose EMS encounter.

PMP: Among drug overdose decedents, 164 (47.8%) had a prescription in the PMP in the year prior to death. Nearly one in four Delaware drug overdose decedents (23.6%) had a prescription for an opioid such as oxycodone, codeine or morphine in the PMP in the year prior to their death. Twenty-two percent had a prescription for a benzodiazepine (often used to treat seizures or anxiety). Twelve percent of decedents had prescriptions for both in the PMP in the year prior to their deaths – but the prescriptions did not necessarily overlap.

DOC: One in four opioid drug overdose decedents (25%) were released from incarceration within one year prior to death. There were 103 drug overdose decedents (30%) who were on probation and parole in the year that preceded their deaths; 76 (22.2%) of decedents were on probation and parole at the time of death. Nearly half of the 343 drug overdose decedents (45.8%) had a record of a misdemeanor, 32.7% had a record of a felony, 25.4% violated parole, and just 20.4% had drug-related offenses.

DSAMH: Within the year prior to death, one in four decedents (26.8%) received DSAMH services. Approximately 10% of decedents were receiving services from DSAMH at the time of death. Of decedents who had received services from DSAMH, 25.3% were considered homeless.

Hospitalizations: Approximately 12% of drug overdose decedents were hospitalized in the year prior to their deaths. Nearly 10% of drug overdose decedents were hospitalized with a diagnosis of a mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorder.

“Another key facet of this report is that through this historical look at data, we were able to determine that as a state we were on the right track with many of our current and ongoing initiatives,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay, who presented the report’s key findings. “It will help us continue to focus our efforts and allow us to move forward in a thoughtful and meaningful way.”

In the section on Addressing the Health Crisis, the report describes how Delaware is doing so through a comprehensive and multipronged approach including: (1) prevention; (2) treatment; (3) harm reduction; (4) criminal justice; and (5) epidemiology, data, and surveillance. The section discusses the state’s efforts to engage emergency department physicians, prescribers, and EMS personnel. It also provides information on the expansion of treatment facilities and processes, and the utilization of naloxone by not only first responders but also Corrections staff and the community to save lives.

“This report provides crucial information to help us identify gaps in our treatment system,” said Elizabeth Romero, director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. “It also confirms that the efforts we have made under the START Initiative are moving our system of care in the right direction.”

Delaware currently ranks fifth-highest among drug overdose mortality rates in the nation.

To view the full 2017 Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report, visit https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/files/dedrugoverdosemortsurvrpt2017.pdf.
Those seeking substance use or mental health resources are encouraged to visit www.HelpisHereDe.com or call the 24/7 Crisis Services Hotline. In New Castle, call 1-800-652-2929. In Kent and Sussex counties, call 1-800-345-6785.

*Data note: There may be slight differences in the drug overdose mortality data reported by the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) compared to the data reported by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science (DFS). DHSS utilizes data from DFS to communicate preliminary annual drug overdose death totals based on information from the Delaware Medical Examiner’s Office. These data are considered preliminary until the final statistical death file is closed by the Delaware Health Statistics Center within DPH.

 

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.


Sussex County Bridge Clinic to Help Individuals, Families Impacted by Mental Illness, Opioid Use Disorder

NEW CASTLE (July 11, 2019) – As a new support for individuals and families impacted by the effects of mental health and substance use issues, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) officially will open the Sussex County Bridge Clinic on July 15 at the Promise Access Center in Georgetown, providing screening and referrals to treatment, as well as additional services. The Sussex County clinic joins a similar clinic in New Castle County, which opened in March near New Castle.

The Sussex County Bridge Clinic, which is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, is available to all Delaware residents at the Thurman Adams State Service Center, 546 S. Bedford St., Georgetown. The clinic’s services, which do not require an appointment, include:

  • Screening and referrals to treatment.
  • Evaluations conducted by qualified, licensed clinicians.
  • Guidance navigating the care network.
  • Training for administering naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication.
  • Transportation to and from the facility may be available.
  • All services made available regardless of ability to pay.

“In opening this Sussex County Bridge Clinic, we are providing rapid access to qualified clinicians who can help individuals and their families to understand what type of treatment is needed for loved ones and how to engage with the treatment system,” said Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a practicing family physician. “For too many Delaware families in the throes of a behavioral health crisis, they can be overwhelmed simply by trying to navigate the system. The Bridge Clinic provides an in-person starting point.”

Secretary Walker said the opening of the new clinic helps to engage high-risk populations in treatment, one of four main recommendations from a team of researchers and clinicians at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In April 2017, Secretary Walker asked Johns Hopkins to conduct a review of Delaware’s addiction treatment system. In July 2018, the Johns Hopkins team issued a 33-page report that proposed four main strategies:

  • Increase the capacity of the treatment system.
  • Engage high-risk populations in treatment.
  • Create incentives for quality care.
  • Use data to guide reform and monitor progress.

“Our bridge team leads with care and commitment,” said DSAMH Director Elizabeth Romero. “Persistence is a core principle, and they will never give up helping a client along their journey to recovery.”

For more information, call the Sussex County Bridge Clinic at 302-515-3310.

To reach the New Castle County Bridge Clinic at 14 Central Ave., New Castle (just off U.S. 13), call 302-255-1650.


Drug Take-Back Day Event Collects 5,385 Pounds of Unwanted Or Expired Medications

DOVER (May 15, 2019) – During the 18th Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event on April 27, 2019, Delaware collected 5,385 pounds of unwanted or expired medicine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Division of Public Health (DPH). That amount is approximately 1,600 pounds more than the 3,739 pounds collected in October. Since the first event in May 2010, Delaware has collected a total of 90,291 pounds of unwanted or expired medicine.

In addition to the 24 drop-off locations open to the public on April 27, there are also 21 permanent medication drop-off locations throughout the state. DPH officials say the increase in collections can be attributed to the cumulative efforts of the permanent drug collection sites, which turned in their medications collected over several months to the DEA on the day of the event.

“We appreciate all of the participants that take part in this biannual event, including not only the public, but also state and local law enforcement agencies,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Holding these events and giving residents a safe place to dispose of their prescription drugs will continue to decrease the risk of drug misuse and substance use disorder, as drug experimentation often begins at home. However we continue to encourage Delawareans to take advantage of the permanent prescription drug drop box locations and not feel that they have to wait for the next event to come around.”

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Since January 1, 2019, there have been 84 suspected overdose deaths in the state. In 2018, 400 Delawareans died from drug overdoses, according to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science.

DPH urges Delawareans to keep medications locked away and to drop them off at a permanent drug collection location when they are no longer wanted, necessary or have expired.

For recommendations on handling unwanted or expired prescription drugs, contact the DEA at 1-800-882-9539. If you were unable to participate in the April 27 event, you can still dispose of your prescription medication at one of Delaware’s 21 permanent drug disposal sites. View the list of sites at https://www.helpisherede.com/Get-Help/Prescription-Drug-Drop-Box.

The cumulative collections from the biannual Delaware Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events are:

May 14, 2010: 1,680 lbs.
September 25, 2010: 303 lbs.
April 30, 2011: 4,395 lbs.
October 29, 2011: 4,465 lbs.
April 28, 2012: 6,808 lbs.
September 29, 2012: 4,561 lbs.
April 27, 2013: 6,122 lbs.
October 26, 2013: 5,258 lbs.
April 26, 2014: 6,476 lbs.
September 27, 2014: 4,707 lbs.
September 12, 2015: 7,227 lbs.
April 30, 2016: 7,684 lbs.
October 22, 2016: 6,059 lbs.
April 29, 2017: 5,211 lbs.
October 28, 2017: 5,518 lbs.
April 28, 2018: 4,693 lbs.
October 27, 2018: 3,739 lbs.
April 27, 2019: 5,385 lbs.

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.

The Department of 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.


24 Locations in Delaware to Participate in Drug Take-Back Day, April 27, 2019

DOVER – Delaware will hold its 18th Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 24 locations statewide between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Organized nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Drug Take-Back Day is operated locally by the Division of Public Health (DPH). The twice-a-year event is aimed at reducing the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse, and has resulted in nearly 11,000 pounds of medication being collected since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications is an important ongoing event in the effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or sell them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses.

“Both the direct prescribing of opioids for pain as well as the abundance of these dangerous drugs in our medicine cabinets and communities, have been a significant driver of the opioid epidemic,” said DPH Medical Director Dr. Rick Hong. “By safely turning in your prescription medications during Drug Take-Back Day, you can help fight the opioid epidemic in our state and make your home safe from potential prescription drug abuse or theft.”

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Since January 1, 2019, there have been 70 suspected overdose deaths in the state. Preliminary estimates for 2018 indicate 419 overdose deaths across Delaware, an increase of 21 percent from the 2017 total of 345 deaths, according to the Division of Forensic Science.

In addition to the 24 sites participating in April’s Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 15 are located in local law enforcement agencies. For a list of permanent collection sites, visit https://www.helpisherede.com/Get-Help/Prescription-Drug-Drop-Box.

On Drug Take-Back Day, medications for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment and batteries will not be accepted.

Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for April 27, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. are:

New Castle County
• Christiana Care Surgical Center, 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, Newark
• Delaware City Police Department, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City
• Delaware State Police Troop 2, 100 La Grange Ave., Newark
• Newark Police Department, 220 S. Main. St., Newark (permanent collection site)
• Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown
• New Castle County Airport, 151 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
• New Castle County Police Department, 3601 N. DuPont Highway (permanent collection site)
• Shipley Manor Nursing Home, 2723 Shipley Road, Wilmington
• Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington

Kent County
• Atlantic Apothecary, 103. S. Dupont Blvd., Suite 2, Smyrna
• Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold
• Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St., Camden-Wyoming
• Felton Police Department, 24 E. Sewell St., Felton (permanent collection site)
• Dover Police Department, 300 S. Queen St., Dover (permanent collection site)

Sussex County
• City of Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes
• Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St., Dagsboro
• Delaware State Police Troop 7, 18006 Coastal Highway, Lewes
• Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel (permanent collection site)
• Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton
• Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford (permanent collection site)
• Atlantic Shores Rehabilitation and Health Center, 231 S. Washington St., Millsboro
• Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, (permanent collection site)
• Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Dr., Lewes
• Rehoboth Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach

For more details about Drug Take-Back Day, visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html or call 302-744-4546, ext. 4.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction in Delaware, call 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. To search online for treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states, visit 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.

The Delaware Department of 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.