MADISON COUNTY, Ind. -- Twenty Indiana counties among the hardest hit by heroin learned they will be receiving new help this week.
The state is sending them overdose kits, including the life-saving drug Narcan, to help combat the epidemic.
Madison County is one of the 20 receiving the kits. They will go toward helping people like Crystal, a heroin addict living in the county.
"I think it's getting pretty bad," Crystal said. "I just recently overdosed. No, almost overdosed. Recently witnessed an overdose and it scared the crap out of me."
Crystal is 30 years old and continues to battle her addiction to heroin. She comes to the Madison County Health Department for support. The department will determine who gets access to the overdose kits.
"Certainly I can't give everyone a kit," said Madison County Public Health Coordinator Stephenie Grimes. "There's not enough. So I'm going to have to figure out how to write that policy so it is most effectively used."
Since 2011, drug overdose deaths involving opioids have risen every year. The unofficial total for last year is 595.
The state will distribute 3,400 overdose antidote kits at a total cost of $150,000.
