Treatment for Heroin, Meth Addiction on the Rise in Chautauqua County

MAYVILLE – As the county continues to fight the current drug epidemic, new data shows more people are seeking treatment for substance abuse, but the number is still relatively low compared to the believed number of county residents who are struggling with chemical dependency.

According to the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene, a total of 1201 people sought treatment in the county for various addictions in 2015. That number includes residents seeking treatment for alcoholism – which comprised the largest number – along with marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs and narcotics.

The latest statistics are based on data reported by all New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse licensed providers in Chautauqua County. These include the County outpatient clinics, WCA inpatient, WCA outpatient clinics and the TLC outpatient clinic in Cassadaga.

CLIENTS SERVED IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

The largest increase in treatment was for heroin addiction, which saw 172 resident seeking help in 2015. That was an increase of 36 people, or a 28.6 percent jump compared to the previous year and a 70 percent increase from just two years ago.

Still, those who work in local outreach and support groups say the 172 people listed as receiving treatment is a small portion compared to the residents who are using the drug and also seeking help. Rick Huber from the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County, based at the Gateway Center in Jamestown, explains.

“We only have four doctors in our county that prescribe suboxone, which is a medication that’s used to help people as they’re going through recovery to get off heroin. Each of those doctors is only allowed to treat 100, so that would be 400 total, and they have a huge waiting list for others who are seeking suboxone,” Huber recently told WRFA. “So the number provided for heroin treatment is low, based on the number who are receiving suboxone treatment alone.”

Huber’s concern is that the numbers being reported by the county to the state may not paint the entire picture of just how bad heroin the problem has become, nor does it accurately portray the number of addicts who are actually seeking treatment.

METH TREATMENT ON THE RISE

Another drug that has seen a sharp increase in usage is methamphetamine, and that is reflected in the number of people seeking treatment for their addiction. In 2015, 29 people sought help for meth addiction – four times as many as those who sought help in 2014. And in 2013, just 2 people in Chautauqua County sought treatment for meth addiction.

The largest number for treatment was for alcohol dependency, with 493 people being treated. That’s more than 40 percent of all treatment cases. But that number was down from the 524 who sought treatment in that category just one year earlier in 2014 (46 percent of all cases).

Residents seeking treatment for marijuana addiction also saw a decrease. In 2013, 262 residents sought treatment, but that number saw a slight drop during the past two years and was down to 242 in 2015.

It should be noted the numbers do not include those who are seeking assistance from support services, which are provided by several other agencies in the area, including the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County. Support services often provide peer-to-peer help when it comes to an addict trying to overcome his or her addiction, but they are not permitted to provide clinical diagnosis or treatment.

Any resident seeking treatment or help with chemical dependency can call the county’s 24-hour  Crisis Hotline at
1-800-724-0461 or contact the office in either Jamestown or Dunkirk.