© 2025 WYSO
Our Community. Our Nation. Our World.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Montgomery County Sees Increase In Accidental Overdose Deaths

While accidental overdose deaths are up in Montgomery County, they are still well below epidemic levels seen in 2017.
Public Health Dayton, Montgomery County
While accidental overdose deaths are up in Montgomery County, they are still well below epidemic levels seen in 2017.

Over the past few months, Montgomery County has been seeing an increase in opioid overdose deaths. Other counties are worried they could see increases as well.

Data from Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County shows accidental overdose deaths in May, June and July were up compared to the same period in 2018 and 2019.

Most of the overdose deaths occurred in the city of Dayton, where 54 people have lost their lives to overdoses in the last three months. Another 50 people died from overdoses in other parts of the county, including Kettering, Trotwood and Harrison Township.

Hamilton County hasn’t seen their numbers of overdose deaths increase yet, but Jennifer Mooney, assistant health commissioner for Hamilton County Public Health, says, because of data they have collected, they’ve issued an overdose alert.

“So that fire, EMS, hospitals, treatment agencies, health care providers, everyone knows that we're potentially seeing an influx of patients or clients seeking care or showing up in the emergency department,” she says.

Butler County, so far, has not issued any alerts, but officials there say trends in Hamilton County usually come their way.

Greene, Clark, and Warren Counties say they’ve actually seen a drop in accidental overdose deaths from opioids in the last few months.

Jerry Kenney is an award-winning news host and anchor at WYSO, which he joined in 2007 after more than 15 years of volunteering with the public radio station. He serves as All Things Considered host, Alpha Rhythms co-host, and WYSO Weekend host.