HONESDALE, PA — Following 2014-15 statistics that placed Wayne County third in the number of drug overdose deaths per 100,000 persons among counties in the eastern two-thirds of the commonwealth, officials last week were hopeful that the drug epidemic may be subsiding.

The Wayne County Drug and Alcohol Commission is the single county authority, and SCA is the acronym generally used for the commission. It is responsible for the delivery and oversight of all drug and alcohol services in Wayne County. Its director, Jeff Zerechak, appeared before the county commissioners on January 12 to deliver the SCA 2015-16 annual report.

There were lots of numbers including program meetings (66) in the schools, students served in support groups (41) and in classroom programs (1,030).

The agency completed a total of 569 comprehensive assessments for clients seeking assistance, including inmates at the Wayne County Prison. There were 89 clients referred by the SCA case management unit to inpatient treatment, an increase of 20 from 2014-15. Heroin and opiate use continue to account for largest percentage (71%) of all inpatient admissions; however, the percentage decreased from a 75% share in 2014-15.

Some 327 clients were referred by case management to outpatient treatment. These clients were monitored every 60 days to assess the effectiveness of outpatient care offered.

In detailing the agency’s case management efforts, Zerechak reported on SCA aid in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) to clients with heroin and opioid use disorders. MAT had 30 new admissions in 2015-16, more than doubling the size of the program from last year. Along with therapy, MAT employs the drug Suboxone, a partial opiate designed to assist people in the recovery process from heroin and other opiates, by reducing intense cravings. SCA contracts with Dr. Gary Good, of the Upper Delaware Valley Infectious Disease Practice in Monticello, NY, to oversee medical aspects of the program, and he meets with participants at least twice a month.

Zerechak said that in general, substance trends remained consistent with the last fiscal year. The 2015-16 fiscal year continued to see more individuals reporting heroin and opiates than alcohol as their primary use substance. In 2015-16, 43% of all clients served said heroin and/or opiates were their primary substance, compared to 44% in the prior year.

Zerechak’s supervisor, Human Services Director Andrea Whyte, lauded SCA efforts, citing the intense workload in dealing with more than 560 cases. “I commend the staff for the work they do. Drugs and alcohol are a big topic, and this is a small agency in terms of staff (only two full-time case managers) and funding,” she said.

Commissioner Wendell Kay said drugs and alcohol are an “all hands on deck issue” and asked if the statistics were promising. “Are we at a plateau?” he asked.

“Based on 2015-16, it seems to be a plateau,” Zerechak said, but warned that this was a small data sample and all of the 2016 calendar-year statistics were not yet included.

“I hope for [CSA staff] that it’s plateaued; for them, for the community, nationally. I don’t know how they can go home at night and turn it all off,” Commissioners’ Chair Brian Smith said.

In the past three years, at least 43 persons have died as a result of drug overdoses in Wayne County.