HOUSTON, March 28 – President Joseph Biden delivered his first State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and echoed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declaring opioid addiction as an ongoing health crisis that needs to be addressed. Cenikor applauds President Biden and will continue to lead the effort in tackling the growing opioid crisis in Texas and the surrounding states.
“The United States and Texas are experiencing a national health crisis that is becoming alarmingly worse since the start of the pandemic. Last year, almost five thousand Texans succumbed to the use of opioids said Bill Bailey, President and CEO of Cenikor. “Thousands of families throughout the State, and millions more families across the United States suffered the unimaginable loss of a friend or a family member.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 20 million Americans are suffering from substance use disorder. Since 1999, over 1 million suffered from an overdose. It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that last year over 100,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose. This is almost a 10% increase in deaths from the previous year. Specifically, Texas saw a 32.8% increase in opioid-related overdoses from the previous year.
“During the same time period that the United States saw an alarming increase in opioid addiction, Cenikor saw an alarming 8.8% increase of individuals admitted into Cenikor with opioid addiction. We are able to treat these individuals through our state-of-the-art programs and collaboration with local, state, and federal partners,” added Bill.
Cenikor, a leading treatment provider for those suffering from substance use disorder, served 8,688 individuals at its Texas facilities in Texas last year. During this period, Cenikor served an additional 10,664 adolescents and young adults with beneficial prevention services. More specifically at Cenikor’s treatment facility in (treatment facility), Cenikor served (number of people). Cenikor provides its services to all socioeconomic levels, and to all insured status individuals. To ensure that everyone receives help, Cenikor accepts a wide range of payor sources for the insured and non-insured. The capability to treat more individuals with opioid substance use disorder diagnosis was possible because of the working relationship with partners in various cities and counties throughout the state, the Texas Legislature, state agencies, and agencies in Washington DC.
If you or someone you know is suffering from opioid addiction, and who is seeking treatment, you can reach Cenikor 24/7 at 888-236-4567.
Cenikor is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers an array of successful rehabilitation programs, tailored to treat people who want to be free from substance use. Since its inception in 1967, Cenikor has been dedicated to helping those in
need. Cenikor continues to evolve to offer supportive services to veterans, adults, and adolescents in several cities across Texas, and neighboring states. More than 150,000 lives have been changed in the process.
For more information about this news release, please contact Michael Jenkins, Legislative Affairs and Media Relations Manager, via email at media@cenikor.org. If you or someone you know is seeking treatment for substance use disorder, call Cenikor today at 1-888-236-4567.
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