Expert Insights
North Carolina Medicaid expansion looks like it will be passed into law soon, and many experts believe its passage is essential to overcoming the state’s opioid epidemic. But those same experts also agree that Medicaid expansion alone will not solve the problem. As I’ve said before, Southern states often have some of the highest rates of opioid abuse and addiction, while we have the lowest numbers of addiction treatment resources. North Carolina is no exception to that trend. Even in a metro area like Charlotte, licensed residential treatment centers, medical detox, and outpatient addiction services are few and far between. However, if NC lawmakers succeed in expanding health insurance for low-income residents, it could solve one problem while creating another: the state may very well find itself struggling to meet the demands of so many new Medicaid recipients in need of addiction treatment. Recognizing that addiction providers are already in short supply, North Carolina is taking another step that would accommodate Medicaid expansion by loosening the state’s “certificate of need” law that approves where hospitals, clinics, and health care facilities can be built. Lawmakers hope this will make it easier for addiction treatment providers to open throughout Charlotte and the state as a whole.
~ Nikki Seay
How Does Charlotte Compare in Alcohol and Drug Use?
The booming city of Charlotte is home to more than 915,000 residents. It’s the 15th largest city in the United States and ranked in the top 10 for livability, job availability, and urban forests. On average, about nine people died each day in North Carolina from drug overdoses in 2020, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.There are more than 70 accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Charlotte and the surrounding area to combat this problem.
As with many other cities throughout the U.S., Charlotte is facing a public health crisis: many residents struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol, known as substance use disorder.
North Carolina state alcohol and drug use statistics from 2019 include:
7% of residents ages 12 and older (405,000 people) were experiencing alcohol use disorder (AUD).
5% of residents ages 12 and older (562,000 people) were experiencing substance use disorder (SUD).
54,830 residents ages 12 and older enrolled in a substance use treatment program.
Throughout the year of 2020, a total of 236 residents died of a drug overdose.
1,508 drug overdoses resulted in an emergency department visit in 2021.
In 2021, 5% of children in foster care were removed from the home due to substance use.
In 2021, a total of 1,552 individuals were admitted to addiction treatment program
In the first three months of 2022 alone, 231 people visited the emergency room for opioid overdoses in the county. This shows the serious and growing problem of drug use, particularly opioids, in Charlotte and the surrounding area.
While statistics alone can’t tell the full story of the impact of a substance use disorder, many know first-hand how harmful drugs and alcohol can be to individuals, families, and their communities. Statistics do, however, tell us just how vital high-quality facilities are.
Resources
- NCDHHS. (2022, March 21). North Carolina Reports 40% Increase in Overdose Deaths in 2020 Compared to 2019
- North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services. (2022). Opioid and substance use action plan data dashboard.
- North Carolina Injury & Violence Prevention Branch. (April 2022). Mecklenburg County.
- National Committee for Quality Assurance. (2022). NCQA health insurance plan ratings North Carolina.
- National Library of Medicine. (April 2022). Opiate and opioid withdrawal.
- Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. (2022). Midtown.
- Mecklenburg County Government. (2022). T.E.P. program.
