Governor Stein Highlights Drop in Overdose Deaths, Commitment to Prevent and Treating Opioid Addiction

Today Governor Stein visited Hope Haven, a substance abuse rehabilitation center in Charlotte, to highlight how opioid settlement funds are supporting people recovering from opioid addiction and preventing fatal overdoses.

"Every life we lose to an overdose is one life too many. We've made progress working in a bipartisan way to treat addiction here in North Carolina, and I thank organizations like Hope Haven that are doing that work," said Governor Josh Stein. "At the same time we reduce demand, we must also restrict supply of dangerous, illicit drugs like fentanyl. My budget would support state and local law enforcement and create a Fentanyl Control Unit that would further crack down on drug traffickers so fewer families would suffer these tragic losses."

"Hope Haven is using opioid settlement funds to build a stronger recovery system in Mecklenburg County - expanding services, saving lives, and ensuring people have real pathways to long-term recovery," said Anthony T. Jones, President and CEO of Hope Haven.

For nearly five decades, Hope Haven, Inc. has provided comprehensive residential and community-based services for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder, homelessness, and economic instability. As a licensed Therapeutic Community serving both individuals and families, Hope Haven delivers evidence-based counseling, workforce development, parenting education, housing support, and long-term recovery services designed to help residents build healthy, independent lives.

"Mecklenburg County's opioid settlement programs are helping us respond quickly and strategically to our community's needs," said Dr. Kimberly Scott, Interim Public Health Director. "We are proud of the progress made through strong partnerships and a shared commitment to saving lives. As the work continues to evolve, we remain focused on ensuring every resident has access to timely, equitable, and reliable care and support. Mecklenburg County is also committed to addressing disparities in overdose impacts by expanding treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts where they are needed most. As new substances and trends emerge, we will continue adapting our response to help keep our community safe."

Governor Stein is committed to combating the opioid epidemic. When he led the North Carolina Department of Justice, then-Attorney General Josh Stein led the national effort to secure more than $55 billion from opioid drug manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies, including nearly $1.5 billion for North Carolina. North Carolina has won acclaim as a national example for transparency and accountability in the use of those opioid settlement funds. In January, Governor Stein joined local officials in Clay County to highlight how the county allocated its settlement funds to hire additional staff at the local health department and to help reach people in rural areas who may otherwise lack access to services.

This year, NCDHHS announced that North Carolina experienced a sharp 34% decline in overdose deaths in a single year - the first decline since 2019.

Governor Stein's recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 would keep North Carolinians safe and healthy by expanding the use of medication to treat opioid use disorder in correctional institutions and creating a Fentanyl Control Unit to stop the flow of these deadly drugs into North Carolina. In addition, the budget proposes stabilizing VIPER network funding to help first responders communicate during disasters, creating a real-time threat alerting platform, and providing state law enforcement officers with raises to support recruitment and retention.

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