Mike Wolanin | The Republic Signs advising patients what to do if they have symptoms connected to COVID-19 are displayed on the door to the Columbus Regional Health Treatment and Support Center in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
Copyright, The Republic, Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Some local officials say they are surprised that Bartholomew County has seen a dramatic decrease in overdose deaths over the first five months of the year, with the county currently on pace for its lowest annual total in eight years.
As of this past Thursday, there had been four confirmed overdose deaths in Bartholomew County, putting the county on pace for roughly 11 deaths this year, according to figures from the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office.
That would be a dramatic decline from last year — with a record 39 overdose deaths in the county — and the lowest yearly total since 2015, when there were six deaths. It also would reverse trends seen in recent years as fatal overdoses increased each year from 2019 to 2022 and set records in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
By comparison, the county had recorded 15 overdose deaths by April 19, 2022.
While local officials across the county are celebrating the dramatic drop in deaths so far this year, some cautioned that they don’t expect the decrease to continue — particularly with local treatment facilities seeing record demand and the illegal drug supply continuing to be as dangerous as ever.
“I’m very surprised by the drastic reduction in overdose deaths so far this year,” said Dr. Kevin Terrell, medical director of Columbus Regional Health’s Treatment and Support Center, or TASC. “I’m thrilled by this wonderful news, and I really hope this indicates a new trend for the future in Bartholomew County. Unfortunately, I’m not optimistic that the news will be so rosy for the rest of 2023.”
“The main reason it’s so hard for me to imagine that we’d have an abrupt and lasting end in overdose deaths is because of the history of rising overdose deaths every year over the past several years,” Terrell added. “I just can’t imagine that overdose deaths would just stop happening.”
And Terrell is not the only official who was surprised by the drop in deaths. Sherri Jewett, executive director of the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress, or ASAP, also said that “the magnitude of the decline surprises me.”
For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
