Drug Abuse Trends in Rochester
Rochester, New York, is a lakefront city along Lake Ontario, home to 208,046 residents within city limits and over a million in the greater metropolitan area. Though not as large as surrounding cities, drug addiction rates for Rochester and Monroe County are comparatively high. The opioid epidemic is hitting the area hard; sparking restrictions on prescription opioid painkillers that have turned many opioid-dependent individuals into residents with growing heroin addictions.
There is no greater drug epidemic than the one our community is facing right now. We are attacking this crisis head-on with an aggressive approach, including a multi-jurisdictional partnership involving increased manpower, resources, and outreach. We can’t afford not to. Lives depend on it.
Heroin Abuse in the North Clinton Avenue Area
Between 2013 and 2016, more than 600 people were arrested for heroin-related crimes in Rochester; approximately 70% took place in the North Clinton Avenue area. The Rochester Police Department described the residential street as a “drug corridor” and “open-air drug market” with the open sale and use of heroin. Data has revealed that over half of buyers travel from areas like the Finger Lakes suburbs, Buffalo, and Syracuse.
Local authorities have formed the Monroe County Heroin Task Force to curb the spread of addiction. In 2017, 766 overdoses resulted in 85 deaths in Monroe County. In the first six months of 2018, an average of three people overdosed on some opioid derivative (the majority being heroin) per day. In March alone, 12 of 85 overdoses ended in death. Heroin sent 2,597 patients to OASAS-certified treatment centers (over 3,200 were admitted for any opioid, including heroin) in 2017. Both numbers had increased since 2016.
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Addiction Statistics for Rochester
262
deaths
Between January 1 and March 31, 2018, 262 overdoses were reported in Monroe County.
36
years-old
The average age of a person who died from heroin overdose in Rochester is 36.
3,214
patients
3,214 patients were admitted to state-certified addiction treatment centers for opioids.
Addiction Treatment in Rochester
Monroe County has worked hard to make treatment available to as many as possible. The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) oversees addiction treatment services across a number of facilities in the area. More emergency responders and treatment providers have also been trained in the administration of Narcan and Suboxone (a combination of buprenorphine and Naloxone).
Levels of care offered through Rochester rehab services are:
- Detox
- Stabilization
- Crisis Services
- Inpatient rehab
- Outpatient rehab
- Residential therapy programs
Medicaid, Medicare, public assistance, Tricare (military insurance), and sliding fee scales are available to those seeking treatment.
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Starting the journey to recovery can seem daunting when you don’t know your options. Depending on the length and severity of your addiction, treatment options can vary widely. To learn more about addiction therapy and finding rehabs, contact a treatment provider today.
