Hospital connects opiate-dependent individuals with treatment, resources
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Torrington, Conn.
Opioid overdose has become a public health crisis in the U.S., though recent statistics show an encouraging trend. The number of opioid-involved deaths increased substantially from 1999 to 2023, with 2023 marking the first annual decline since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdose in 2023, and nearly 80,000, or 76%, of those deaths involved opioids.
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital’s Connecticut Mental Health Center has a certified opiate addiction counselor that helps individuals who are dependent on opiates connect with resources throughout the region. Litchfield County, where the hospital is located, currently has no detox centers, and other challenges for people seeking treatment include limited bed availability and geographical and transportation barriers.
The hospital also offers wide-ranging services for people with substance use disorders and provides a resource guide. The guide outlines treatment options, locations and contact information for area detox centers, outpatient drug therapy, residential programs and medication-assisted programs. The team at the mental health center has worked to build strong relationships with people in the community who are opiate-dependent to ensure they receive the resources and treatment they need to recover.