opioid crisis

Exterior of Lancaster County Government Center

Pa. counties face uncertainty as they grapple with how to spend opioid settlement funds

A drug task force, a county detective, and body scanner at a county jail are some of the proposed uses that county officials across the state have sought clarity on.

Justice Department finds Pa. courts discriminated against people with opioid use disorder

Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

A letter from the Department of Justice could have widespread ramifications for Pennsylvanians who are under a court’s supervision and use doctor-prescribed medications to treat opioid use disorder.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Addiction

Feds Roll Back ‘Confusing’ Addiction Funding Rules That Had Deadly Consequence In Pa.

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…

Jim Hayden listens in a case presentation during one of the Project ECHO sessions intended to teach family practice doctors how to treat complex cases of opioid use disorder.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Addiction

Overcoming An Epidemic: Opioids In Pennsylvania -- Episode 6: Rural Access

Min Xian

Transcript:Min Xian: Being able to access treatment where they live makes a huge difference for people with opioid use disorder. This is especially true…

Suboxone is one of the medicines used as part of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Under new federal guidance to reduce in-person treatment and slow the spread of COVID-19, eligible patients can have up to 28 days of medication.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Addiction

Overcoming An Epidemic: Opioids In Pennsylvania -- Episode 4: Warm Handoff

Min Xian

A continuum of care is a network of resources to help people enter and stay in treatment. Learn more about how Pennsylvania is managing this process—known…

Hands of Pennsylvania state prison inmate discussing peer support program

Crime and Law Enforcement

Take Note: Pa. State Prison Inmates Discuss Peer Support, How It Helps The Ones Offering It Too

Anne Danahy

As part of the WPSU project “Overcoming an Epidemic: Opioids in Pennsylvania,” WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with six inmates at Rockview state prison in…

April Helsel holds a photo of her daughter, Katharine, who died of an opioid overdose three years ago, at the candlelight remembrance at the Centre County Courthouse on August 29, 2019.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Addiction

Centre County Hosts Candlelight Remembrance Ahead Of International Overdose Awareness Day

Min Xian

Centre County hosted a candlelight remembrance Thursday night to honor those who died of a drug overdose. The event is ahead of this Saturday’s…

A Penn State student died of an overdose earlier this year. Last Friday, the man who sold him those drugs received his sentence.

Crime and Law Enforcement

Up To 19 Years In Prison For Man Who Sold Drugs To Penn State Student Who Died From Overdose

Min Xian

A Penn State student died of an overdose earlier this year. On Friday, the man who sold him those drugs received his sentence.William Denton, from…

Medicine and Health

As State Gives Out Opioid Overdose Drug, Many Sites Run Out

Anne Danahy

By the time Jeanne Nearhoof, of Lycoming County, and her mother went to a naloxone distribution site Thursday, there wasn’t any left.That site in…

Medicine and Health

Free Naloxone Available Across Pennsylvania Dec. 13

Anne Danahy

Pennsylvania residents will be able to get free naloxone at nearly 80 locations across the state on Thursday, Dec. 13. That includes places in Blair,…