Dec 1, 2017 2 min read

It’s been well-documented, both in this newspaper and elsewhere, that perhaps the most vexing problem facing Pennsylvania as a whole and this region specifically is the opioid epidemic. We are among the leading states for overdose deaths, a position we are unlikely to abdicate when the number of overdose deaths is tallied at year’s end. In 2016, the commonwealth racked up 4,642 overdose deaths. This year, there will almost certainly be more.

A resource that Pennsylvania residents have been able to turn to for the last 12 months has been a round-the-clock, toll-free hotline where addicts, friends and families can seek assistance.

The number, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), has taken more than 18,000 calls since launching in November 2016.

It’s operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Jennifer Smith, the department’s acting secretary, said in October, “We have someone who can get on the line with you and say, ‘You know what, I’ve been where you are, and life can be so much better. Here’s my story. Here’s how I’ve done this, and I’m going to stay with you to help you through this process.”

Smith also noted that, of the calls they have received, about half have resulted in someone receiving treatment. It’s a safe bet that someone’s life has been saved because of the hotline. Because it’s a state-based endeavor, the people on the other end of the phone are familiar with service providers in different Pennsylvania communities and in its 67 counties. In fact, a third of those staffing the hotline are certified recovery specialists.

A companion website is reportedly in the works for those who would feel more at ease with that form of communication. For now, however, the PA Get Help Now hotline is a lifeline that no one affected by the opioid epidemic should hesitate to use.