RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia has experienced a significant decrease in fentanyl overdose deaths, with numbers declining by nearly 50 percent last year. This reduction ranks as the second-highest drop nationwide, behind only West Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Wednesday, the state's Joint Health Commission received a briefing on the factors driving down fentanyl deaths.
According to the State Health Department, fentanyl deaths dropped by roughly 44 percent between 2023 and 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels.
"There's no one who has pointed to any specific or single strategy. I think there's a lot of value in the approach that Virginia has taken and implementing many strategies across the fronts," said Jen Piva-Renna, Joint Commission on Health Care Analyst.
The data indicates that increased education, expanded naloxone distribution, medications for opioid use disorders, and peer support systems appear to be effective strategies.
Marlon BaCote, a peer recovery specialist who works with several nonprofits in Richmond, told CBS 6 peer recovery support is crucial to curbing addiction deaths
"Peer support works because it's empathetic, it's personal, and it builds rapport. It's a relationship with the clients that no other therapeutic setting can provide," said BaCote.
BaCote also highlighted challenges in the current system.
"In 2018, when Social Services passed over 100 new barrier crimes, you prevented those peers from working. Not only did you do that, but you tacked on an extra 5 years after probation, before they could work, some for misdemeanors. Understanding that these people, with lived experience, are going to have, maybe, have some type of criminal backgrounds. And if it's associated directly with the use, then I say let them, because that's the population they're working with," BaCote said.
As lawmakers await the study's results to make new policy decisions, BaCote hopes they'll consider lifting criminal barriers to bring more peer recovery specialists into the field.
"If you open the door and let us in, then we can help each other," said Bacote.
The final briefing on Virginia's fentanyl crisis, which will include more information on how youth are impacted, will be given to the commission in September.
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