Guilford County

Solution to the Opioid Problem

GCSTOP

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About Us

The Guilford County Solution to the Opioid Problem (GCSTOP) serves residents of Guilford County. The program was initiated with funding from the State General Assembly to Guilford County’s Emergency Services for the purpose of addressing the County’s increasing incidence of opioid overdoses and opioid related deaths. The funding is being used to support the development and initial implementation of a Rapid Response Team (RRT) intervention, which is designed to prevent repeat overdose and to counsel persistent users to enter treatment or adopt evidence-based harm reduction practices. We also provide syringe exchange, harm-reduction training, and community overdose response education. The program serves some of our community’s most vulnerable populations: people who have overdosed and others who are at high risk for opioid related mortality.

Family Impact

44% of CPS removals to foster care were for caretaker drug or alcohol use; according to CPS opioids account for a large share of these removals.

Economic Impact

The annual economic impact on Guilford County was $2,012,446,895 due to opioid overdose deaths in 2016 (including lost lifetime earnings).

Treatment

Nine out of ten (90%) of people with a substance use disorder (SUD) do not receive treatment for the condition.

Rapid Response

GCSTOP’s Rapid Response Team provides counseling and other services to residents who have recently overdosed. Rapid Response Teams consist of social workers, peer support specialists, and members of law enforcement. Individuals who have experienced an overdose are contacted by a Rapid Response Team within 1 to 3 days after the overdose. The Rapid Response Team provides a range of services to prevent future overdoses and opioid-related problems. These services include assessing the likelihood of a future overdose and counseling regarding treatment options for opioid abuse and dependency. The Rapid Response Team can also connect individuals with services and provide case management.

Pop -up and Syringe Exchange Clinic

The GCSTOP Syringe Exchange Program provides clean needles and equipment, fentanyl test kits, access to Narcan and training, access to suboxone and methadone, case management, detox and treatment referrals, and access to a registered nurse. According to the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, "Syringe exchange programs are one of the most effective public health interventions for decreasing the transmission rates of HIV and other blood borne diseases such as hepatitis C, as well as connect users to treatment and other important needs such as housing or food assistance."