State sees decrease in opioid overdose deaths
NEWYORK » According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, opioid overdose deaths among New York residents, outside New York City, declined 15.9 percent in 2018 compared to 2017, the first decrease in 10 years.
While close to 2,000 people tragically died from opioid overdoses last year, the decrease remains a significant milestone and is the result of several aggressive actions taken by the Governor over the past several years to combat opioid addiction.
“New York’s first reduction in opioid overdose deaths in over ten years is an important milestone and demonstrates our work to combat this deadly scourge is working,” Cuomo said in a news release.
After years of rising opioidrelated overdose deaths among New York State residents, 2018 finally saw a drop, from 2,170 deaths in 2017 to 1,824 deaths - a 15.9 percent decrease - according to preliminary State Health Department data covering areas outside New York City.
Furthermore, hospitalizations for opioid-related overdoses decreased 7.1 percent — from 3,260 in 2017 to 3,029 in 2018.
“New York is reducing overdose deaths for the first time in years, and while we acknowledge the tremendous progress we’ve made, we know all too well the devastating impact opioid addiction is still having on our families and communities,” Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the Heroin and Opioid Task Force remarked.
“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, we have made significant progress combatting addiction, and though we recognize this milestone, even one overdose death is too many. We will continue to work to improve the health of all New Yorkers and reduce rates of addiction and opioid use,” Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker added.
Highlights of the progress report:
• Increase in Treatment Capacity across New York State
• Since 2016, the state has added nearly 500 new treatment beds, and more than 1,800 opioid treatment program (OTP) slots.
Increase in Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services
in High-Need Communities via Mobile Clinics and Telehealth.
• Federal Opioid State Targeted Response Grants and State Opioid Response Grants have funded increases to prevention, treatment, and recovery services in high-need.
• This funding has allowed New York State to increase treatment access
in these areas with expanded peer services, mobile treatment, and telehealth, as well as targeted prevention services and recovery supports.
Integration of Medication Assisted Treatment ( MAT) Services for Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care Health Facilities and Hospitals.
• Actions to increase MAT prescribing have helped contribute to an increase of nearly 47% in the number of patients receiving buprenorphine pre
scriptions for opioid use disorders between 2012 and 2018.
Increase in the number of recovery centers in New York State, from three in 2016 to thirty-two currently in operation.
• Last year nearly 32,000 people made at least one visit to a recovery center in New York State.
• Recovery centers are part of the Governor’s ongoing efforts to address substance use disorders in New York State. They promote long- term recovery
by providing professional staff, peers and volunteers to engage and support people in their recovery.
Other Highlights Include:
• Streamlining of regulatory requirements and issuing medical guidance supporting the rapid initiation of MAT, enabling patients to access these lifesaving medications on the same day they enter a treatment program.
• Increased prevention services including prescriber education, limiting
of many opioid prescriptions, expanded awareness campaigns, and support for regional coalitions and partnerships that invest in prevention initiatives on a local level.
• Removing many of the insurance barriers that kept people from seeking treatment, including elimination of prior insurance approvals for inpatient treatment.
• Expansion of access to the overdose reversal medication naloxone by increasing insurance cov
erage for the medication, subsidized co- payments, and regulations to require all OASAS- certified programs to maintain naloxone on site.
• Increase in hospitals across the state initiating MAT in Emergency Departments after overdose recovery.
• Distribution of joint OASAS/ DOH best practices for using buprenorphine to treat OUD.
• Expansion of drug user health hubs.