Beaufort County, NC

Beaufort County Health Department

north carolina

Rural | Population: 44,481

Beaufort County, North Carolina, faces a severe opioid crisis, with overdose death rates rising from 25.5 per 100,000 residents in 2019 to 51.1 per 100,000 in 2022. Heroin and fentanyl are the leading causes of these fatalities, followed by cocaine and benzodiazepines. The economic toll of opioid-related deaths in 2021 exceeded $201 million, excluding costs associated with non-fatal overdoses and treatment. The criminal justice system is particularly impacted, as individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) often cycle through incarceration without access to adequate treatment or support services. 

Key COSSUP Initiatives

Medication-Assisted Treatment

The Beaufort County Health Department (BCHD) will increase capacity from community-based MAT by hiring additional staff, including a Public Health Nurse II and a qualified mental health professional. MAT will continue to provide Suboxone prescriptions, Narcan distribution, and biweekly or monthly follow-ups. 

Evidence-based treatment

The addition of a mental health professional will reduce wait times for therapy appointments and improve access to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other evidence-based treatments. 

BCHD will implement a formal referral process between MAT, behavioral health, overdose prevention services, and primary care programs to streamline patient care. 

Overdose Prevention Services

Outreach efforts will target hard-to-reach populations through community events and partnerships 

Anticipated Benefits of Project

• Reduction in overdose fatalities

  This project aims to reduce overdose fatalities through access to timely and effective treatment, including medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) and naloxone distribution. 

• Increased public safety

  This project aims to increase public safety through seamlessly transitioning individuals from treatment in custody to community-based treatment.

Collaborative Partners

• O’Neal’s Pharmacy

• Beaufort County Health Department

• Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

• Behavioral Health Taskforce, including local organizations such as…

  • AGAPE

  • Passages Counseling Center

  • ECU Beaufort Hospital

  • United Way

  • Peer Support Specialists

Project Director

Janell Octigan, Health Director
Beaufort County Health Department
janell.octigan@bchd.net
252-940-5090

This project was supported by Grant No. 15PBJA23GK02258COAP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.