FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 7, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) awarded a $450,000 grant to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The funding focuses on expanding community partnerships and implementing evidence-based programs that help prevent substance use disorders (SUD) or overdoses. These efforts also will help prevent traumatic experiences for children and youth living in homes where they’re exposed to substance use. 

This nationally competitive Comprehensive Community Approaches Preventing Substance Use (CCAPS) grant will fund programs in counties with increased levels of SUDs and overdoses. Based on 2020 data, three counties ― Greenwood (56.7), Laurens (54.6) and Union (36.7) ― are among those with the highest all drug overdose rates in the state, above the statewide average of 34.8 (age-adjusted rate per 100,000) and will be the three South Carolina counties where the CCAPS funding is utilized. Widespread substance use disorder often leads to high rates of overdose deaths that could have been prevented. 

“Substance use disorder is a chronic brain disease, and often impacts the entire family,” said Emma Kennedy, DHEC Division of Injury and Substance Use Prevention Director. “Our kids need us now more so than ever and through this critical funding and together with our partners, we will work to break generational cycles of addiction and trauma. We are fortunate to have been a grant recipient—one of seven projects—in the nation which are focused on meeting the needs of this vulnerable population.”

According to the DHEC Drug Overdose Death Report for South Carolina, from 2019 to 2020, the total number of opioid-involved overdose deaths in South Carolina increased by 59 percent from 876 to 1,400 deaths. The total number of all drug overdoses increased by 53 percent across the state from 1,131 to 1,734 deaths. The synthetic opioid fentanyl is largely responsible for this increase in overdose deaths with those involving fentanyl increasing 105 percent from 2019 to 2020. The Upstate Public Health Region has seen a significant increase in counterfeit blue pills containing fentanyl. 

“This grant is an incredible opportunity for our counties,” said Dr. Kandi Fredere, DHEC Upstate Region Public Health Director. “As our substance use rates are increasing, we recognize the long-lasting effects that substance use disorders and overdose can have on our children and communities. This grant will help us better prepare our communities to address these issues.” 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). This includes experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; or having a family member attempt or die by suicide. It also may refer to aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding, such as growing up in a household with substance use problems; mental health problems; or instability due to parental separation or household members being in jail or prison. 

By receiving the grant, DHEC Upstate and Midlands Public Health Regions will hire additional staff to provide training, coordinate efforts, and develop strong partnerships with Healthy U, Western Piedmont Education Consortium (WPEC), Cornerstone, and Children’s Trust. Each of these organizations will be able to help implement and expand programs for substance use, overdose, and ACEs, and provide SUD training to those community members who work with children. 

DHEC Midlands Region Public Health Director, Buck Wilson, echoed the need for local-level actions. 

“We are encouraged by the level of partner commitment to tackle these tough challenges to improve the lives of people and families,” said Wilson.” With public health progressively moving toward enhanced and broadened public health practice that goes beyond traditional public department functions and programs, our partners become even more important to all the work we do to help educate our communities.” 

Community Resources
SC-HOPES – This support line is for all South Carolinians impacted by COVID-19 or any other associated stressors. Anyone can call this line to be linked to resources for mental health and substance use treatment or other needs. SC-HOPES is available 24/7, toll-free, at (844) SC-HOPES (724-6737).

Tu Apoyo – This line is a Spanish-language companion line for SC-HOPES. Tu Apoyo is available from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, toll-free, at (833) TU-APOYO (882-7696).

For information on opioid overdose prevention, the opioid antidote Naloxone, finding a recovery provider, pain management and overdose data, visit www.justplainkillers.com.  

For parents and family members, Buying Drugs Online – What You Should Know & How to Protect Your Kids

For families and community organizations, DHEC provides more information about its efforts to combat opioid overdose deaths.

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