BELLEFONTE — The Board of Commissioners recently declared September 2023 as National Recovery Month in Centre County.
Established in 1989 and held annually in September, National Recovery Month is dedicated to supporting and promoting treatment and recovery practices for individuals facing substance use disorders, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Since 2013 in Pennsylvania alone, over 42,000 individuals have lost their lives as a result of a drug overdose, with 164 of those here in Centre County. Currently, we lose 14 Pennsylvanians a day to substance use disorder,” Karri Hull, county director of criminal justice planning, said.
Hull elaborated.
“Overdose deaths shatter families, friends and their communities, and at least one in four families in Pennsylvania is impacted by the chronic disease of addiction,” she said.
Commissioner Mark Higgins pointed out that 42,000 people represent a number nearly equivalent to the population of State College Borough.
“It’s difficult to fathom the entire borough of State College succumbing to a preventable issue over a 10-year period,” Higgins said.
To honor those who have lost their lives to overdose and raise awareness about substance use disorders, the Centre County courthouse will be illuminated in purple throughout September. This illumination serves as a reminder that effective treatment and recovery are attainable goals.
Hull highlighted the stigma associated with addiction, opioid use and harm reduction efforts, noting that these factors contribute to the challenging reality faced by those with addiction. This stigma also isolates families when a loved one loses the battle against addiction.
“I think overcoming stigma in our community and making sure that people appreciate the fact that although this is occurring, we need to recognize the fact that the families are left behind with incredible grief and just impacts that are unimaginable to lose a child, to lose a brother or a sister, to lose a family member or even a friend is just absolutely horrible,” Commissioner Steven Dershem said.
Dershem pointed out the necessity for change, especially given the rise of fentanyl, a drug significantly more potent than heroin.
“As we move forward at the local, state and federal level, we need to find strategies to eliminate this scourge,” he said.
Commissioner Amber Concepcion highlighted that addiction often originates from legitimate opioid prescriptions, such as those for chronic pain and post-surgery recovery.
“It wasn’t an accident or coincidence this happened. There were people who stood to make a lot of money by pushing these opioid drugs and promoting them to doctors as a safe and easy fix for pain,” she said.
As mentioned by Concepcion, settlements with pharmaceutical companies are helping fund recovery programs. Commissioner Mark Higgins expressed hope that such settlements would mitigate harm and reduce the number of people falling victim to substance addiction.
“With the numerous court settlements with the numerous large pharmaceutical companies that caused a major portion of this crisis, (we) will hopefully reduce some of the harm at the front end, which will then hopefully reduce the number of people who become addicted to substances,” Higgins said.
National Recovery Month’s primary focus is to convey that recovery is achievable for everyone, and that treatment holds the potential to save lives. Recovery and treatment make it possible for individuals, families and communities to heal.
Hull said there are currently an estimated 23 million adults living in long-term recovery. The Centre County HOPE Initiative, composed of local organizations, agencies and concerned citizens, aims to combat drug overdoses and substance abuse through outreach, education, awareness campaigns and support for recovery options.
“I think we’ve made some headway here in Centre County. We don’t see the huge number of deaths that maybe some of the counties in the state and even the country have experienced,” Dershem said. “A lot of that I think has to do with our acceptance of the fact that substance use disorder is a disease and there are solutions, at least in the short term, to get people into treatment.”
The BOC also declared Aug. 31, 2023, as Overdose Awareness Day during the Aug. 29 meeting. The proclamation to make September National Recovery Month in Centre County was passed unanimously by the BOC.
