Waging the war against the devil in Scioto County: A grassroots response to prescription drug abuse in a rural community.

This presentation begins with an overview of the growing prescription opioid abuse problem in Scioto County, Ohio, including data on increasing injury deaths, unintentional overdose deaths, and treatment admissions. In 2009, a “call to action” was announced in the community, with three town halls and petitions to the governor. Through grassroots community activities, Scioto County helped bring attention to the issue, and a governor’s task force was established in 2010.

The Ohio Valley Node has been participating in activities intended to increase access to evidence-based practices in Scioto County and the region, including buprenorphine trainings and study proposals aimed at, among other things, studying cross-system approaches to reduce drug overdoses. The Node has been actively involved in meeting with community groups, treatment providers, and regional/national partners. By August 2011, 4 physician licenses had been suspended for violating opioid prescription laws, 2 pharmacies were DEA suspended, 1 doctor was convicted, and 3 clinic owners were indicted. The presentation ends with a discussion on lessons learned collaborating across systems, from the state level down to the community.