Heroin abusers are filling jail cells and recovery rooms in Athens County at an alarming rate - prompting Sheriff Pat Kelly and employees at Health Recovery Services to work around budget obstacles to curb the problem.
Hard drug users comprise more than 80 percent of the inmates at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, and about 80 to 90 percent of heroin users return numerous times, said Warden Jeremy Tolson.
I've maybe seen a handful out of hundreds and hundreds get off the drug
he said. Individuals that come through the door are the same heroin addicts that came in a year ago.
Dr. Joe Gay from Health Recovery Services in Athens said county residents only can expect the number of abusers to grow.
His recovery service has treated double the amount of opioid users, including heroin addicts, since 2007, despite a shrinking state-funded budget to pay for low-income users not on Medicaid. Opioids include synthetic narcotics that mimic the effects of opiates.
Ten years ago, he had more than $900,000 allotted for people who did not qualify for Medicaid and now has about $364,000.
With the average heroin patient costing $2,000 - $3,000 over the course of the three-month to a year-long program, Gay has had to turn away at least 100 to 200 a year, he said.
The heroin problem is going to keep getting worse for a while he said. Even up to about six months ago alcohol (abuse) was the most prevalent
and within the last six months heroin has become as common.
Heroin has gained popularity because law enforcement and medical authorities have made prescription drugs less accessible to street dealers, he said. With a price of $25 a dose, heroin is cheaper and more convenient than pharmaceuticals as well, he added.
Kelly has started a new program implementing education, prevention and enforcement to try to stop this increasing number of drug dealers and gang members.
Starting with the Trimble Local School District, Kelly plans to teach a class on drug abuse to high school students and involve older role models for younger students to encourage drug-free lifestyles, he said.
I don't believe Athens County has a drug problem
he said. I believe we have a drug epidemic.
The county's location allows for a lot of traffic between Columbus and Parkersburg, with Columbus as the county's dealers' main source for drugs, he said. Gang activity is reaching more rural areas, such as surrounding counties, has caused heroin addictions to spread, he added.
His department is monitoring two specific gangs in nearby counties that threaten Athens County residents' safety, He also has a multitude of dealers in New Marshfield, Nelsonville, Glouster and Coolville under surveillance, he said.
I'm going to come after them
find them and put them in jail
he said. I'm going to take as much property and resources from them as I can until they understand that they are not only committing a crime but they're taking the lives of the people in Athens County.
Since he took office in January, he has responded to five deaths, mainly in the north side of the county, that he suspects were caused by drug overdoses. Toxicology reports take more than five weeks, so he will not release names until results are completed.
On top of the three to four calls a day he receives from people asking him to bust the nearest drug dealer, he has five recovered drug addicts who have told him they want to help him in the drug dealer pursuit, he said.
With a $1.7 million budget and quickly shrinking overtime budget because of the two recent homicides, Kelly said he needs additional help from residents and recovery services.
Athens City Police Department's budget is twice as much as mine
he said. I need more money. We're living in tough economic times and we know that crime will go up when the economy's down.
1
News
