Expert Insights
I was very happy to see that the tragedy of the opioid crisis is being turned toward good in Wichita. I read that the Kansas Attorney General, Derek Schmidt, secured a $28 million legal settlement from opioid companies over allegations of their role in the opioid epidemic. I think it’s great to not only hold these companies accountable, but also use this money to provide resources for people struggling with opioid addiction. I hope to see an increase in treatment centers and behavioral health providers, as I have also seen this money get tied up while people are still dying. I hope state officials act quickly to get people the help they need now.
~ Olivia Pennelle
How Does Wichita Compare in Alcohol and Drug Use?
Wichita is the largest city in Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. Opioid-associated deaths peaked in Sedgwick County in 2005, declined until 2010, and rose sharply between 2010 and 2019.3
There are many options for quality alcohol rehab and drug rehab in Wichita, Kansas. Regardless of what type of treatment you are looking for in a Wichita drug or alcohol rehab, there is a program that fits your needs.
In 2017, the Sedgwick County Commissioners declared opioid misuse a public crisis.1
Between 2011-2020, the county had 870 drug overdose deaths, and 43% were due to opioids.
In 2019, opioid-associated deaths outnumbered stimulants, cocaine, and marijuana-associated deaths combined.
ER visits associated with opioids in Sedgwick County increased by 80% from 2014 to 2018.
In 2019, there were more drug offenses for marijuana in Sedgwick County than meth and other narcotics combined.
Alcohol and Drug Laws in Wichita
While there are programs designed to help people with substance use disorders stay out of jail, Kansas is one of just a few states without a Good Samaritan law. This type of law encourages people to call 911 when witnessing an overdose by protecting them from prosecution.
Wichita Drug Deferred Program: The Wichita Drug Deferred Program allows people who have been charged with possession of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia to have their trial postponed. You cannot have participated in another diversion of deferred judgment program for a similar offense.
You must apply for the program. If your application is accepted, the city will postpone your criminal trial for the diversion period. In return, you must:
- Pay all costs, fees, and fines
- Complete all terms and conditions set out by the diversion contract, which can include drug or alcohol counseling
- Violate no local, state, or federal laws
- Agree to and abide by any additional conditions that the prosecutor deems necessary
Kansas Senate Bill 123: Kansas Senate Bill 123 requires judges to sentence first- or second-time drug possessors to up to 18 months of community corrections supervision and drug treatment. You must have no prior convictions for a violent offense or drug sale or manufacturing. You are only eligible for the program twice. A third offense will equal jail time.
Wichita Municipal Drug Court: The Wichita Municipal Drug Court was created in 1995 and was one of the first 100 drug courts established nationwide and the first in the state of Kansas. In Drug Court, the judge, prosecutor, probation officer, treatment provider, and defendant’s attorney work as a team to encourage and promote substance-free behavior. The primary goal is to rehabilitate the participant through intensive drug/alcohol treatment.
Anyone who lives within a 60 miles radius of Wichita and who has not previously participated in a Drug Court program is eligible. Even those with prior convictions, including drug convictions. All participants must complete a minimum one-year program that includes:
- Treatment
- Regular court appearances
- Random drug testing
- Payment of all treatment and court fees.
- Upon successful completion, the charges are dismissed.
Naloxone Access Law: Kansas allows pharmacists to give naloxone, also known as Narcan, at their discretion to patients, family members, law enforcement, EMS, and school nurses. The law protects individuals acting in good faith and with reasonable care in administering the drug to reverse an opioid overdose from civil and criminal liability.
It can be overwhelming to find the right Wichita drug rehab or alcohol rehab for you. Call
800-681-1058
(
Who Answers?)
to get help 24/7.
Resources
- Sedgwick County. (2017, December 6). Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners Meeting.
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (n.d.). Mortality Data.
- Sedgwick County. (n.d.). Sedgwick County Drug Abuse Information.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
- McHugh, R. K., & Weiss, R. D. (2019). Alcohol Use Disorder and Depressive Disorders. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 40(1).
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2021, September 19). Understand Anxiety & Depression.
- Flanagan, J. C., Korte, K. J., Killeen, T. K., & Back, S. E. (2016). Concurrent Treatment of Substance Use and PTSD. Current Psychiatry Reports, 18(8), 70.
- Norman, S. B., Haller, M., Hamblen, J. L., Southwick, S. M., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2018). The burden of co-occurring alcohol use disorder and PTSD in U.S. Military veterans: Comorbidities, functioning, and suicidality. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 32(2), 224–229.
- Gold, A.K., Otto, M.W., Deckersbach, T., Sylvia, L.G., Nierenberg, A.A., Kinrys, G. (2018). Substance use comorbidity in bipolar disorder: A qualitative review of treatment strategies and outcomes. The American Journal on Addictions, 27(3), 188-201.
- Reginsson, G.W., Ingason, A., Euesden, J., Bjorndottir, G., Olafsson, S., Sigurdsson, E., Oskarsson, H., Tyrfingsson, T., Runarsdottir, V., Hansdottir, I., Steinberg, S., Stefanson, H., Gudbjartsson, D. F., Thorgeirsson, T.E., Stefanson, K. (2017). Polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder associate with addiction. Addiction Biology, 23(1), 485-492.
- Parmar, A., & Kaloiya, G. (2018). Comorbidity of Personality Disorder among Substance Use Disorder Patients: A Narrative Review. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 40(6), 517–527.
- Trull, T.J., Freeman, L.K., Vebares, T.J. et al. (2018). Borderline personality disorder and substance use disorders: an updated review. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 5(15).
