The graph depicts the percentage of Richmond County's population receiving opioid prescriptions as compared to the rate of NC's population for each year. The overall decrease indicates the rise in the number of pain clinics, laws, and policies that restrict pain prescriptions as a treatment for chronic pain. 

References

NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Injury & Violence Prevention Branch. (2025). North Carolina overdose epidemic data dashboard. North Carolina Overdose Epidemic Data. https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/ivpb-overdose-data.

Please note that these rates cannot be compared to other counties beyond the dashboard. 

What is helping

1. Prescribing providers use nonopioid medications for pain management as well as referring patients to local pain clinics. 
2. Establishing local pain clinics in the County.
3. Establishing several agencies with medicine-assisted treatment options for substance use. 
4. Pharmacists counsel patients on risks associated with opioid prescriptions and supply naloxone with each prescription in case of overdose. 
5. NC policy changes in reducing opioid prescribing patterns for those on Medicaid and Medicare. 

What is hurting

1. Cancer is one of the top three leading causes of death, leading to opioid prescriptions for terminal illness, which may be diverted. 
2. Major highways intersect in Richmond County; Highway#1, Highway #74, and Highway #220 are known for drug and human trafficking along the east coast. 
 

Anticipated Factors

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is conducting a study on the impact of its opioid prescribing guidelines, which may influence future prescribing practices. 
2. The economic cost of the illicit opioid epidemic is significant, with projections indicating a need for more control measures
3. Trends in postoperative opioid prescribing may continue to evolve, affecting how opioids are used in medical settings.
 

Research Needed

1. More research is needed on babies of moms who are substance users and the consequential effects on mental health and possible future drug use.
2. More research is needed for nonopioid, non-addictive pain medications for chronic and terminal pain. 
 

• Richmond County Department of Social Services DEFT | Richmond County, NC - Official Website (richmondnc.com)
  The Richmond County Drug Endangered Family Taskforce (DEFT) was formed to address the opioid crisis in our local neighborhoods. Community stakeholders, county government, and local agencies have joined forces to provide treatment resources and community education. We are committed to bringing awareness and prevention to Richmond County and its residents by working with local providers to reduce the supply of prescription opioids, increase community awareness and prevention, and supply naloxone to family, friends, and other interested parties who may work, live, or know those who may use opioids.  
• Richmond County Health Department Health Department | Richmond County, NC - Official Website (richmondnc.com)
  The mission of the Richmond County Health Department is to help prevent disease, promote health, and protect the environment for all citizens of Richmond County, and to assess and respond to the community's health needs continually.
• Sandhills Opioid Response Consortium Substance Use Disorder | NC | FirstHealth of the Carolinas
  A FirstHealth community coalition committed to reducing opioid-related overdoses in Moore, Montgomery, Lee, Hoke, and Richmond counties. We work with our partners in each county to provide peer support, caregiver support, harm reduction kits, medicine for opioid use disorders, support groups, and syringe exchanges. We also support our partners in building community awareness by providing podcasts, virtual support, and community events like Drop Box locations. 
• FirstHealth Outreach Department FirstHealth of the Carolinas: Non-Profit Health Care Provider Network  Community Health Services has programs to meet the health needs of adults and children, including school health programs, healthy living classes, tobacco cessation education, and efforts designed to prevent childhood injury. To carry out this work effectively, Community Health works in partnership with other organizations in the region and continuously seeks funding from both public and private sources to initiate and expand these efforts.
• Sandhills Best Care Mental Health Clinic | Sandhills Behavioral Care | Rockingham, NC  A comprehensive outpatient Primary Care and Mental Health Clinic that uses a holistic approach to treat the people we support. The mission of the practice is to empower, support, motivate, and encourage patients, clients and families utilizing BEST practices to help improve the heath, safety and well-being of every person we support.
• Trillium Home | Trillium Health Resources
  An organization manages a network of mental health and substance use providers under Medicaid and state funding, managing both program funds for a 43-county region. We support community stakeholders in their efforts to address mental health and substance misuse issues in their communities.
• Community Impact North Carolina Community Impact North Carolina - Preventing harm of drugs & alcohol (impactcarolina.org) To help individuals and communities facing the challenge of alcohol and other drug misuse, Community Impact NC is increasing its focus on building safe, healthy, and strong communities. We believe that strong communities are the best way to prevent future harm. We bring expert knowledge and research into the design and implementation of our programs.
• North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition NC Harm Reduction Coalition - Dedicated to implementing harm reduction interventions, public health strategies, drug policy transformation, and justice reform in North Carolina and throughout the American South. (nchrc.org)
  The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition (NCHRC) is a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to implementing harm reduction interventions, public health strategies, drug policy transformation, and justice reform in North Carolina and throughout the American South. NCHRC engages in grassroots advocacy, resource and policy development, coalition building, and direct services for people impacted by drug use, incarceration, sex work, overdose, gender, HIV and hepatitis, and first responders.

Strategy: Local Provider Education
Who: DEFT, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Community Impact NC, Trillium, and North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition
What: Ongoing education to local providers regarding nonopioid-related health strategies 
When: August 2017 and ongoing
How: Ongoing provider education regarding local resources for chronic pain management.