Orange County NC Website
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57 <br /> 2. Project Narrative <br /> A. Assessment of Community Need (16 points, page limit: not to exceed 1% pages) <br /> The cycle of drug addiction in Orange County, NC, is intricately linked to ongoing criminal <br /> activity, with drug-involved offenders exhibiting alarmingly high rates of relapse and recidivism. <br /> Individuals recently released from incarceration are more than 12 times more likely to die from <br /> an overdose in the first two weeks after release compared to their counterparts (source: <br /> news.unchealthcare.org). Research consistently suggests that the risk of overdose rises <br /> significantly when individuals relapse after a period of sobriety.These statistics represent not <br /> just numbers but individual lives that could be saved. Effective screening and timely referrals to <br /> substance misuse treatment initiated during incarceration and seamlessly continued post- <br /> release could help to redirect individuals away from relapse and further justice system <br /> involvement. <br /> Recent crime statistics from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation further <br /> underscore the pressing need for intervention. In 2024,the Orange County Sheriff's Office <br /> recorded 487 total offenses, with theft comprising the largest category at approximately 51% <br /> (250 incidents),followed by burglary at 17% (84 incidents) and motor vehicle theft at 10% (49 <br /> incidents). Statewide data shows that in 2024, 70.6%of all North Carolina property crimes were <br /> larceny-thefts.These property crimes are frequently linked to substance use as both a driver of <br /> offending behavior and an indicator of underlying addiction requiring intervention. <br /> Moreover, data from the North Carolina Injury and Violence Prevention Branch reveals that <br /> illicit opioids account for an estimated 65.6% of all overdose deaths in Orange County, marking <br /> a critical public health crisis that reflects a 3%rise from the previous year. Additionally, in 2023, <br /> 72.8% of children in foster care were due to parental substance misuse, one of the highest rates <br /> in North Carolina, despite a slight decline compared to the previous year. <br /> These alarming statistics illuminate the immediate need for ongoing substance use treatment, <br /> particularly during and immediately following incarceration.To maximize impact,treatment <br /> must begin while incarcerated and continue without interruption post-release.The North <br /> Carolina Injury and Violence Prevention Branch states that, in 2023, only 336.6 individuals per <br /> 100,000 residents accessed treatment services in Orange County.This figure reflects 507 <br /> uninsured individuals and Medicaid beneficiaries who received treatment for Opioid Use <br /> Disorder (OUD), marking an increase from the 461 individuals treated in 2022, which equated <br /> to a rate of 306.8 per 100,000 residents. <br /> Orange County's property crime profile and substance use data suggests a strong correlation <br /> between the two.Therefore, in response to this urgent need, Freedom House Recovery Center <br /> (FHRC) proposes to continue its effective partnership with the Criminal Justice Resource <br /> Department(CJRD)through Lantern Project—which serves as the primary treatment source for <br /> justice-involved individuals exiting the Orange County jail with OUD or co-occurring SUD. Since <br /> its inception in 2021, Lantern Project has supported well over 250 unduplicated justice-involved <br /> individuals,facilitating connections to treatment, peer support, housing, and comprehensive <br /> community-based resources. <br /> 1 <br />