CAMP HILL, Pa. — Lower Allen Township residents gathered for a town hall Wednesday to discuss rising fentanyl overdoses.
A panel, hosted by JFT Recovery, consisting of law enforcement, EMS, and addiction experts gave a grim picture on overdoses in Cumberland County.
“This year we’ve had 32 overdose deaths, last year it was at 46," Charley Hall, the Cumberland County Coroner said.
“We’ve seen them go up since the pandemic, and mental health and other factors are weighing in," Captain Tony Deaven, with Lower Allen Township EMS said.
Officials say that fentanyl is fueling a majority of overdose cases in Cumberland County. The issue hits home for Erika Shambaugh, who lost her two sons, Austin and Josh, to overdoses back in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
“At first, I thought fentanyl was something that was prescribed by a doctor before Austin died," Shambaugh said.
The panel fielded questions from residents for over an hour and addressed concerns about treatments for addiction. Shambaugh says it’s important for people to have access to treatment programs and medications in order to fight addiction, including Narcan to reverse overdoses.
“Narcan is the reason many people are still breathing," Shambaugh said. "And as long as they’re still breathing, there is hope that they can get better.”
The panel also highlighted the importance of tackling the stigma of addiction, as well as tackle other societal problems that fuel addiction.
“We need to be there to help people, especially when they fall down, so they can get back up," Sean McCormack, the Cumberland County District Attorney said.