Overdose deaths drop as officials put $1.7M toward recovery resources

By MEGAN TROTTER
TribLive

Fatal overdoses in Allegheny County fell an estimated 41% from 2023 to 2025, and preliminary data suggests the decline is continuing this year as the county puts another $1.7 million toward community-based efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

The county’s Department of Human Services announced Thursday that early 2026 data is showing further progress. The rate of emergency-department visits for drug overdoses fell 26% per 100,000 people in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year.

Alex Jutca, interim director of Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services, said the declining number of overdoses is encouraging — but far too many people are still struggling.

“The opioid addiction crisis demands a swift response and bold investment,” Jutca said. “We remain firmly committed to examining how we can try new things, expand what works, and push ourselves to do better for every person on the path to recovery.”

In 2017, Allegheny County experienced the highest number of fatal overdoses in a single year. More than 800 people died that year alone.

Since then, Allegheny County has been working to reduce that number, which includes recognizing that all groups haven’t been affected equally. Although rates of overdose among men, particularly Black men, are still higher than other groups, preliminary data from 2025 show this number has decreased as well, according to the county’s website. This year’s $1.7 million in funding was drawn from settlements in 2021 and 2022 with manufacturers and distributors of opioids for their roles in the opioid epidemic, as part of the PA Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, which was formed to distribute the funds across the state.

With this additional investment Allegheny County will have disbursed more than $24 million in opioid settlement funding to local projects.

This comes along with the $100 million spent annually on addiction-related services through DHS.

“As Allegheny County invests opioid settlement funds, we’re dedicated to being transparent so residents can see how these resources are shaping the county’s response,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato in a statement.

The $1.7 million was awarded through a competitive solicitation process, and will be distributed to a group of wellness programs, outreach and therapy centers, suicide prevention and addiction recovery buildings and healthcare to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Some recipients include Awaken Pittsburgh, Give Tomorrow a Chance, Jeremiah’s Place, Outreach Therapy, Passages to Recovery, Inc., UPMC, Center for Street Medicine at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh, Team PSBG, The Open Door and White Oak EMS.

The awards will go toward increasing emergency childcare spaces, occupational therapists and pharmacists to support street outreach medicine teams, certified recovery specialists and securing adequate narcotic storage.

Additionally, the money will also help care for people with xylazine‑associated wounds, which are severe painful skin ulcers, and high-risk overdoses linked to the animal tranquilizer mixed into street drugs.