The University of Arkansas System’s Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) held an opioid overdose prevention community roundtable Thursday, June 27, at the Newton County Senior Activity and Wellness Center in Jasper. The noon meeting brought local residents together with officials and professionals directly involved in reducing the number of deaths in an on-going opioid overdose crisis in Arkansas. The discussion was made possible through grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
SAMHSA evaluated several factors to identify which counties in Arkansas are the most likely to report opioid overdoses. Newton County was deemed an at-risk county. Factors being taken into consideration are a combination of the number of overdose deaths, the number of Naloxone administrations by emergency medical personnel, the opioid prescription rate and the number of reported drug crimes.
The visiting panel of speakers included Arkansas State Drug Director Thomas Fisher, Associate CJI Director Carol Waddle, Project Director Jamal Williams of the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Aging Adult and Behavioral Health Services, Peer Support Specialists Rodney Beaver and Jeremiah Woehl both with the Recovery Center of the Ozarks located in Harrison and Probation Officer Shaun Wiseman assigned to the 14th Circuit Judicial District that includes Baxter, Boone, Marion and Newton counties.
The event was an opportunity to form ideas to efficiently educate Newton County about opioid overdose prevention.
Williams welcomed the audience explaining the goals of the roundtable. "We want to make sure we are connected to communities," he said. Attendees received free doses of Naloxone, as well as brochures and other information regarding opioids. "We want to make sure we leave sustainable resources in your hands."
The meeting opened with a video presentation of local data compiled by Andria Blackwood, Ph.D, associate research scientist with the Wyoming Survey and analysis center.
Beaver and Woehl told their personal stories of their overuse of opioids and Wiseman gave his impression on the seriousness of the opioid crisis locally. Thomas then gave his perspective of the problem statewide.
In the statistical report, there was suppressed data in all-drug overdose death rate categories for Newton County (one of 16) in 2021 and 2022. The statewide average per 100,000 persons is 16.0.
However, data did show Newton County's Naloxone administration rate per 100,000 persons by emergency medical services for 2021 and 2022. Newton County is ranked 20th out of 75 counties with a rate of 99.4 administrations in 2022. This is 49% fewer than in 2021 which saw 195.4 administrations.
Newton County is ranked 44th in opioids prescription rate with 79.9 opioid prescriptions per 100 persons in 2022. This is also a decrease from 2021 where data reported the county had 82.3 prescriptions per 100 persons.
Newton County's opioid prescription rate is above the current state average rate of 71.7 prescriptions per 100 persons.
Using all factors, the data places Newton County at number 25 in the top counties at risk in 2021 and 2022. It had a total score of 277.7. The rankings showed neighboring Boone County ranked 10th overall.
Beaver and Woehl gave presentations.
Beaver started by saying he is tired of seeing people die. He is tired of seeing drugs being an issue and fentanyl being so prevalent. With all off the resources the country has why is this still happening?
Though he said he doesn't have the answers his experiences provide perspective.
"I was that guy who was addicted to anything you had to offer." It was the mid-1990s. He is glad fentanyl hadn't been available then because he surely would have taken it and probably would have died because of it.
He has been able to overcome his dependence and today is the director of the Recovery Center of the Ozarks.
Beaver explained the controlling power of opioids by relating a meeting he had with clients recently. One of the clients was asked how many times he had died. That is, how many times had he overdosed and was revived by being given doses of Naloxone. The client responded quickly with an answer. Three times, he said.
Woehl explained he became dependent on opioids after an on-the-job injury. He didn't realize he needed help until he found himself incarcerated.
He became a peer recovery specialist.
He said the people he comes in contact with really want to get help.
The recovery center is working to find the answers to help them. Incarceration isn't the answer, he said.
"There is hope, here," he said.
Wiseman gave law enforcement's perspective. It's easy to put our heads in the sand and pretend there isn't a problem, he said. "I see that locally. I see it on a bigger scale."
Much of Newton County's data is suppressed, but he said problems can be gauged by assessing the data from the larger counties surrounding it.
People living in rural areas don't know help exists. They don't know where to go to ask for it, he said.
There are many ways to go about it. The last should be incarceration, he said.
Law enforcement isn't against people who are in a drug crisis. We are here to help you. Ask for it."