'Something Had To Be Done': Worcester Opioid Overdose Numbers Declining

WORCESTER, MA—The numbers released by the state Department of Public Health paint a rather dismal landscape of the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts. Worcester, however, is among the communities where some progress is being made in attacking the growing problem.

While the number of opioid deaths nearly doubled since 2012 in Worcester, they also show a decline in deaths from 2015 to 2016, when the number dropped from 77 to 56. In 2012, 29 opioid related deaths were reported in Worcester, followed by 43 in 2013 and 56 in 2014.

According to Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst, public information officer for the Worcester Police Department, Worcester redirected and broadened its approach to the problem after a startlingly bad year in 2014. Worcester applied the CIT (Critical Intervention Team) program and PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative), moving sharply away from reacting to the addict with only arrest and jail time, but a goal of getting that addict off drugs.

"Something had to be done," said Hazelhurst. "We started to see some alarming numbers and tackled it by thinking outside the box. That was the new approach to it. [These programs we work with] address the addiction part and less of the criminal part. If you're an addict, you're likely going to be doing something illegal. Criminality and addiction go hand in hand, whether it's breaking and entering, stealing from your family, prostitution. No one is out there doing this to feed their family; it's to feed their habit."

Still, Hazelhurst admits it's a "tough go," explaining that 75 percent of all overdoses are now from Fentanyl, which is 40 times stronger than heroin and 50 times stronger than cocaine.

Statewide, an average of 38 people per week died of opioids in 2016 with fentanyl contributing substantially to the death toll, according to updated data released last week by the Department of Public Health, reports Andy Metzger, State House News Service.

The state reported in February that there were 1,465 unintentional opioid overdose deaths in 2016 and another 469 to 562 deaths that were suspected to have involved opioids, said State House News. The updated data released concluded there were 1,933 confirmed opioid-related deaths last year in Massachusetts.

In Worcester, every firefighter, police officer and EMT is armed with the opioid overdose antidote Narcan, and has been since August of 2014. Even friends, family members and spouses are in possession of Narcan if necessary.

"You have those factors, and we're out there, but instead of looking at the criminal end of it for many cases, with our program we do with work with others to try to get invention, detox and things like that," said Hazelhurst. We work with professionals to get to the core of the problem, which is addiction. A lot of mental health issues go along with addiction issues. We try to tackle it as a public health problem as a partnership with the health department and the city manager and others."

Statewide, Department of Public Health officials reported the data shows "signs of progress in fighting the opioid epidemic as the increase in death rates appears to have slowed," according to State House News.

"It's just like dealing with an alcoholic," said Hazelhurst. "The hardest part is to get someone to admit they have a problem. We try to give them support groups, guidance and tie in with the family. A lot of families are at their wit's end. Recovery is not easy, there is a lot of relapse, but we try to stay with that person. "

In the first three months of 2017, the Department of Public Health recorded 172 confirmed cases of opioid overdose deaths and estimated an additional 242 to 307 deaths stemming from opioids, said State House News. Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said that the number opioid deaths in the first quarter of 2017 appears to be "about the same" as the same period one year ago, while cautioning that it is "difficult to say quarter to quarter what's happening."

"We as a community try to target it and attack it at all levels, unlike the olden days, where the person was just arrested and thrown in jail," said Hazelhurst. "The numbers are still bleak, and it'll take some time and effort. The problem stems often from opioids that were used to treat a legitimate injury. The medical field is more aware of this. People would get hooked on Oxy, but that's expensive, and they'd get into heroin. It's a long process and it's a shame."

The town-by-town data on opioid deaths can be seen below:

This report includes segments by Andy Metzger, State House News Service