Expert Insights
Amarillo has seen a major spike in the number of fentanyl addictions over the last 6 months. The truth is that fentanyl is easy to find and it’s very cheap. Experts believe that’s why they are seeing such an increase in the number of people addicted. But fentanyl is also one of the most difficult drugs to detox from, making things even more difficult. However, local Amarillo treatment centers are now beginning to use medication assisted treatment in order to combat fentanyl addiction, and they’re seeing good results with 40 to 60% of participants going on to live lives in recovery. The medication assisted treatment programs include a combination of psychosocial therapy and a drug known as Suboxone. If we are going to combat the fFentanyl epidemic, we certainly need all hands on deck. And once again, it looks like Suboxone has become one of the number one tools in the arsenal. I hope to see more treatment centers embrace this method if it is, in fact, as successful as the trials seem to indicate in Amarillo.
~ Natalie Baker
Cost of Drug Rehab in Amarillo
The cost of rehab depends on multiple variables, such as where you decide to go and what type of amenities you expect to enjoy. For example, if you’re looking forward to massage therapy and a fitness center with a spa, then you can probably expect to pay more for that specific facility.
Generally, people use their health insurance to pay for care, but many people don’t have insurance. To pay for treatment, it might be necessary to ask for help. You can take out a medical loan if you have a good credit score, or you can ask friends or family for money to fund your rehab. You can also look to crowdfunding websites to ask anonymous donors online for assistance.
Amarillo, TX Drug and Alcohol Use Statistics
Amarillo is a city in Texas seated in Potter county. According to data from the CDC:1
While the rate of alcohol-induced deaths dropped from 2018 to 2019 by 24.79%, it rocketed up the next year by 63.25%
Drug overdose deaths rose 34% in the county between 2018 and 2020
The county has an 89% higher rate of drug overdoses than the rest of Texas as of 2020
The opioid dispensing rate for Potter County, where Amarillo is located, was 102.8 per 100 residents in 2020.
Drug and Alcohol Laws in Amarillo, TX
Texas has enacted numerous laws to help protect citizens from the danger of substance use, helping provide access to life-saving medication as well as enabling people to seek rehab.
Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): The federal FMLA laws apply to every company in the US, as long as they have over 50 employees and qualify under other rules such as having enough employees within a certain radius of the work site.5 FMLA requires most employers to offer their employees at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave to seek medical treatment or care for a family member. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against a medical condition such as substance use disorder (SUD) and must provide the same or a similar position with equal or better pay when the employee returns.
Good Samaritan Overdose Law: The Good Samaritan Overdose law helps protect people from prosecution if they call emergency services to help with an overdose.6 This could mean preventing jail time if you have drugs or paraphernalia, but you call 911 to help save the life of someone overdosing on opiates or other drugs. The law also protects first responders and civilians from being sued for using overdose reversal medication, Naloxone, without prior consent or authorization.
SB 1462 Naloxone Law: This law was enacted to allow open access to the overdose reversal drug Naloxone and to encourage citizens to help prevent overdose deaths.7 It allows prescribers to provide Naloxone prescriptions to emergency personnel, family members of people that use opiate medications or illicit drugs, and people who are in a position to assist someone experiencing an overdose.
Resources
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Center for Disease Control. (2022). CDC Wonder.
- National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus. (2022). Alcohol Withdrawal.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); (2006). Chapter 3. Intensive Outpatient Treatment and the Continuum of Care.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.
- U.S. Department of Labor. (2022). Family and Medical Leave Act.
- Texas Department of Health Services. (2018). Overview of Drug Overdose Good Samaritan Laws.
- State of Texas Legislature. (April 22, 2015). SB 1462
