Fatal overdoses have tripled among Black Allegheny County residents since 2018, data shows

Allegheny County’s newest initiative aims to curb an alarming statistic: According to recent data, since 2018, fatal overdoses have tripled among the county’s Black residents.

“I live in Homewood, I have programs in Homewood, so I can see what happens every single day in my community,” said Denetta Benjamin-Miller, the Executive Director of the Sojourner House.

The Sojourner House is just one of the community providers partnering with the Department of Human Services on their latest initiative “Connect. Protect. Recover” a new program aimed at curbing an alarming new statistic, Black residents in Allegheny County are dying from overdoses.

“Not only has there been that steep increase but it’s three times the rate in deaths of deaths in the white community,” said Stuart Fisk with the Department of Human Services.

According to data collected by the Department of Human Services:

• In 2018, fatal overdoses among Black residents were less than 60 deaths
• By 2023, that number had soared to more than 140

Benjamin-Miller said that is because it was not until recently that the medical community began investing in culturally based awareness and treatment.

“Pain management was not geared towards African Americans or Black and Brown people,” she explained.

Along with investing in providers, the new program is geared towards caregivers providing them with training and resources to help their loved one.

“I think it’s important not to give up on your loved one because 75 percent that do enter into recovery go on and do wonderful things,” Benjamin-Miller said.

“I think people respond to open conversation to information and to know how to navigate a system,” added Fisk.

For more information about the campaign, click here.

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