WASHINGTON COUNTY, Maryland (DC Information Now) — The Washington County Well being Division launched a report displaying a major drop in deadly overdoses.
Beth and Karl Bechtel are the founders of therapeutic after dropping one to a substance, higher referred to as HALOS. They know all too properly what it's wish to lose a beloved one to a drug overdose after their son died about three years in the past.
“Our son's identify was Joseph and he was 28 years previous when he handed away,” Beth Becktel stated.
“He struggled with dependancy for 5 to eight years.”
Once they discovered that deadly overdoses within the county had dropped by 22%, they have been pleased.
“I simply hope the phrase will get out to the well being division and, you realize, dad and mom like us who’ve been pounding the pavement and hopefully that has contributed to it,” Beth Bechtel stated.
With the assistance of federal funds, the county has accomplished a number of initiatives to assist fight medication with extra packages and the set up of Narcan merchandising machines.
“These federal dollars allowed us to companion with our native well being system and supply this desperately wanted service to a particularly susceptible inhabitants,” stated Director of Behavioral Well being Providers Vicki Sterling.
“With continued efforts in training, I believe that quantity can lower dramatically,” Karl Bechtel stated.
The Washington County Well being Division additionally says that 18,000 doses of Narcan have been efficiently distributed in the neighborhood in 2023 alone.