PALM BEACH COUNTY — I am thankful that we have seen Palm Beach County’s COVID-19 numbers come down from what we experienced earlier this year. This tells me that the measures our county put in place are working and that we must remain vigilant, especially as children return to in-person classes and businesses reopen. However, the pandemic has placed untold stress on us all, stress that manifests itself in different ways, including substance abuse.

A concerning consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic that must not be ignored is the unmistakable rise in overdose deaths in Palm Beach County and throughout the nation. Throughout the first eight months of 2020, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue opioid-related transports are up 31% from the same period last year, with overdose deaths up by 136 and opioid deaths up 45. The County Medical Examiner’s Office expects the final 2020 drug death count to significant surpass last year’s. Sadly, fentanyl is the drug driving this rise. Nationwide, there was an estimated 17.59% increase in reported overdoses from the weeks prior to and after the establishment of mandated stay-at-home orders.

Palm Beach County is in a strong place to address the ongoing opioid epidemic moving forward. We have worked to build a coordinated recovery-oriented system of care centered upon evidence-based practices and mental health services. We established an Addiction Stabilization Unit so those seeking help can receive individual recovery plans to reduce relapse. Our county has adopted innovating strategies such as peer support services and a syringe exchange program to promote harm reduction. Through federal grants, we are developing strategies for achieving housing stability for those in recovery. In my roles as county commissioner and as president of the Florida Association of Counties, I will continue my focused efforts to reduce overdose deaths in Palm Beach County and throughout our state.

McKinlay is the Palm Beach County commissioner representing District 6, which covers most of the Glades region.