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Fentanyl Deaths Declining, but the Opioid Crisis Remains a Public Health Emergency

Fentanyl deaths are declining, but the opioid crisis continues. Get expert addiction treatment at CORE Medical Clinic in Sacramento or West Sacramento. Learn more.

March 25, 2025

C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic Team

Fentanyl Deaths Declining, but the Opioid Crisis Remains a Public Health Emergency

The Opioid Epidemic: Progress and Challenges

Theopioid epidemichas devastated communities across the United States, butrecent data offers a glimpse of hope. According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),drug overdose deaths—particularly those related to fentanyl—have decreased by 30% since mid-2023.

Despite this progress,the national opioid emergency declaration remains in place, emphasizing theongoing need for intervention, treatment, and prevention efforts.

A Shift in the Opioid Epidemic

Fentanyl, asynthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, has been theleading cause of overdose deathsin the U.S. Whilefatalities have declined, the battle against opioid addiction isfar from over.

Public health experts credit this improvement to: ✔Increased access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) ✔Expanded naloxone (Narcan) distribution ✔Improved addiction recovery services

MAT programs—includingmethadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone therapy—have played acrucial rolein preventing relapse andreducing opioid-related deaths. However,proposed budget cuts to Medicaidcouldjeopardize access to these life-saving treatments, leaving many individualswithout the support they need.

How CORE Medical Clinic Supports Recovery

For those struggling withopioid addiction,CORE Medical Clinicprovidescomprehensive Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)at ourmethadone clinics in Sacramento and West Sacramento.

Our specialized programs include: ✔Methadone treatmentto manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. ✔Buprenorphine treatmentfor long-term opioid addiction recovery. ✔Naltrexone therapyto prevent relapse. ✔Personalized counseling and behavioral therapyto support each patient’s journey.

Now Is the Time to Seek Help

While thedecline in fentanyl deathsis encouraging,opioid addiction remains a life-threatening condition. If you or a loved one is struggling withopioid use disorder (OUD), seeking treatmentcan be the first step toward a healthier future.

📍Find a CORE Medical Clinic location near you:

📍Sacramento Clinic 2100 Capitol Ave., Sacramento, CA 95816 📞 (916) 442-4985 📩 frontdesk@corecapitol.com

📍West Sacramento Clinic 3990 Industrial Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691 📞 (916) 796-0020 📩 frontdeskwestsac@corecapitol.com

📞Get help today.

Recovery starts with the right support. Take action today.

Educational content from Core Medical Clinic. This article does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Initially, an intake assessment and admission medical history and exam is completed by counseling and medical staff. Treatment options are discussed and a course of action taken. Medication recommendations are made and initated to balance safety and benefit as much as possible. It is very important to let counseling, dispensing and medical staff know how the medication is working or not so appropriate adjustments can be made.

At C.O.R.E., we strive to individualize treatment and maximize success. There is no time pressure. Some do well with short term treatment while others benefit from long term treatment. We know relapse is common and can have disasterous results. We work hard to treat each patient as long as is required to achieve long term success.

First we work closely with the individual to achieve a “normalizing’ dose of medication to alleviate withdrawal and craving while minimizing side effects. Working closely with medical, dispensing and counseling staff most often allows us to achieve this goal in the first few days to weeks.

Not necessarily. C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic serves patients in Sacramento, West Sacramento, and surrounding areas. People often choose a clinic based on accessibility, treatment needs, and location.

C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic accepts several health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal, MHN, Anthem, Medicare, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Optum, Blue Shield of California, Magellan Health, and Western Health Advantage.

As most patients entering treatment know, opioid withdrawal is awful and inevitably leads to continued use. We are sensitive to how terrible the craving, restlessness, anxiety, bone aches, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, sweating, etc. can be. If alcohol, benzodiazepines, stimulants, or other drugs are involved withdrawal can be medically dangerous and require residential or coordinated medical care. Opioid withdrawal can be greatly reduced or eliminated by the early doses provided but again frequent contact with treatment staff for medication adjustments is very important.

The great majority of patients seeking treatment for opioid addiction can continue their normal life, including work, while they are working to find their ’normalizing’ medication dose. If residential or coordinated medical care is required, some time off may be necessary but again this will be individualized. Clinic hours are designed to accommodate the vast majority of working patients.

We work hard to educate patients about the benefits and safety of MAT. Many myths circulate about MAT such as it causing liver problems, bone problems and being harder to get off than fentanyl or heroin. These are absolutely false and will be discussed in detail with your treatment staff. Patients who receive MAT are much healthier than patients not in treatment. Learning to manage common side effects like constipation and weight gain can make patients healthier than they have ever been. All opioids are hard to get off but MAT can set up a very careful and safe detox when a patient is ready. An abrupt short term detox is not advised and can be difficult but a gradual, medically safe detox minimizes withdrawal symptoms. Supplemental safe, non addicting medications can further reduce unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

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