Expert Insights
Chesapeake Regional Medical Center’s emergency department has evolved into a critical intervention point over the last four years. In early 2019, the Chesapeake area was struggling with the opioid epidemic. When patients would present to the ER for a possible overdose, the staff would simply give over-the-counter medications to treat the nausea or diarrhea and send them on their way. The tactic certainly wasn’t making a positive impact on the epidemic. In late 2019, however, the ER began prescribing FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid addiction (namely buprenorphine / naloxone, also known as Suboxone) on the spot and making immediate appointments for those patients to see local addiction specialists. The change in treatment methods has made an enormous difference.
~ Nikki Seay
How Expensive is Drug Rehab in Chesapeake?
The cost of Chesapeake alcohol rehab typically varies by program. How much you will pay depends on several influences, such as:4
Treatment setting (inpatient versus outpatient)
Features and amenities (such as upscale offerings)
Duration of program (30 days versus 90 days)
Which insurance providers and plans the program accepts
Government funding
Location (urban versus rural)
How Does Chesapeake Compare in Alcohol and Drug Use?
Chesapeake is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It’s home to over 250,000 residents, making it the second-largest city in The Old Dominion State.1 However, drug addiction and substance abuse issues remain a major problem here. In 2020, there were 2,240 drug overdose deaths in Virginia.2 If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, there are more than 50 accredited alcohol and drug rehab centers in Chesapeake that can help get you on the path to recovery.3
From January to March 2022, the rate per 10,000 emergency department (ED) visits for all drug overdoses among Virginia residents was 65%. This data set was taken from 84 acute care hospital EDs and 22 free-standing EDs in Virginia.1
An average of four Virginians died of opioid overdose daily in 2020. Related statistics for that year show:2
There were around 9,901 ED visits, a 33% increase compared to 2019.
Opioid overdoses accounted for 1,478 deaths, a 17% increase compared to 2019.
From 2015 to 2017, the annual average among young adults of past-month binge alcohol use was 38.7%.3
From 2014 to 2017, the annual average prevalence of past-year alcohol use disorder was 11.6% (or 103,000).3
In 2017, among people enrolled in substance use programs in a single-day count, 54.8% received treatment for a drug problem only, 13.1% received treatment for an alcohol problem only, and 32.0% received treatment for both drug and alcohol problems.3
Drug and Alcohol Laws in Chesapeake
Virginia law governs Chesapeake, and the state’s drug and alcohol laws apply there. Here is a closer look at two of them:
Virginia Good Samaritan Law: Under the 2018 Virginia Good Samaritan law, anyone who renders emergency aid to someone at risk of serious harm or death is immune from civil liability for injuries or death of that person.
Virginia’s Drug Overdose Law: This law was passed in 2015 by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s General Assembly. It is a safe reporting law that aims to save the lives of people suffering from overdoses. The law is similar to the “Good Samaritan” law in that it provides a defense against prosecution if you “seek or obtain” emergency medical attention for yourself or someone else who is overdosing. This law intends to prevent overdose deaths by encouraging you to seek treatment without fear of possible penalties standing in the way.
Resources
- Chesapeake, Virginia Population 2022 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs). (n.d.). Worldpopulationreview.com.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 1). Drug Overdose Mortality by State. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
- FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). FindTreatment.gov.
- Virginia Department of Health. (2022). Emergency Department Visits for Unintentional Drug Overdose Among Virginia Residents
- Virginia Department of Health. (2020). Opioid Data.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. (2017). Behavioral Health Barometer, Volume 5
- Virginia Department of Social Services. (n.d.). Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Recovery.
- City of Chesapeake. (2021). Paying for Services.
- Medicare.gov. (n.d.) Get started with Medicare.
- Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Medicaid & CHIP in Virginia.
- The Commission on Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program: Your Doorway to Safe and Sober Driving. (n.d.). Improving Highway Safety Through The Reduction in Incidence of Driving Impaired.
- City of Chesapeake (2021). Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare (CIBH).
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health [Internet]. Office of the Surgeon General (US).Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2016 Nov.
- gov. (2017). Overview of Substance Use Disorder Care Clinical Guidelines
- Substance Abuse: Clinical Issues in Intensive Outpatient Treatment. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 47. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2006.
- Virginia Law. (2022). Code of Virginia.
- Virginia’s Legislative Information System. (2020). 2020 Session.
