VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription painkillers and synthetics like fentanyl, continue to rise across the country.

What You Need To Know

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 7,500 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. last year were in Florida, with 20% of those deaths in Central Florida

  • In 2022, a total of 335 people died from a drug overdose in Volusia County. Out of those deaths, 81% involved fentanyl, according to data from the medical examiner's office

  • The Volusia Recovery Alliance in Daytona Beach is one of the local organizations working to address this ongoing opioid crisis

  • Since its inception, they have handed out 12,940 Narcan kits and trained 6,032 individuals, resulting in 185 community reported reversals

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 7,500 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. last year were in Florida, with 20% of those deaths in Central Florida.

In 2022, a total of 335 people died from a drug overdose in Volusia County. Out of those deaths, 81% involved fentanyl, according to data from the medical examiner’s office.

The Volusia Recovery Alliance in Daytona Beach is one of the local organizations working to address this ongoing opioid crisis.

“We were born out of community need based on a symposium that we hosted in 2019 which launched us to become what we are today — which is an education and advocacy organization that provides peer support to the community,” Executive Director Karen Chrapek said.

After moving to Volusia County in 2002, Chrapek decided she wanted to work to empower individuals and families in their journey to recovery from substance use disorder. The organization is led by a group of people with their own recovery stories through lived experiences.

“I am a person in a long-term recovery of more than 40 years,” Chrapek says from her own journey, as she understands the challenges people with addictions face. “When I was still using, I had a trust problem. I didn’t trust a lot of people.”

One of the goals of the organization is to create that trust with individuals in recovery. They offer a wide variety of services, including on-one recovery coaching sessions as well as mutual aid meetings.

“We do provide childcare during our mutual aid meetings that we host in the education center, and it’s one more way to decrease a barrier that a parent may have,” Chrapek said.

Another important focus area of the Volusia Recovery Alliance is to teach the public how to use Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan, to reverse an overdose. According to the CDC, this life-saving medication can reverse an overdose from opioids — including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications — when given in time.

Volunteer Ryan Foster knows first-hand the importance of having Narcan available.

“I’ve personally been revived from Narcan 18 times, and, you know, I wouldn’t be alive right now and have an opportunity not only to help people, but to have a family and show up and be a father today without it,” Foster said.

Since its inception, the Volusia Recovery Alliance has handed out 12,940 Narcan kits and trained 6,032 individuals, resulting in 185 community reported reversals. 

Chrapek says the Volusia Recovery Alliance has made 1,847 referrals linking people with community services.

“A big need is housing. So, we have a lot of partnerships with local recovery residences,” she said.

The organization helps people coming back to society from incarceration by providing them with clothing.

“Primarily for the women in jail that come out are returning citizens that often come out with the clothes on their back. And so, we provide them the opportunity to come here, pick out some clothes,” Chrapek said.

They also have a new first responder program available to the community funded by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

“We’re very proud that we’ve been awarded this contract to be able to help first responders get whatever resources they need to help alleviate compassion fatigue and help alleviate some of the PTSD that they may incur as a result of their jobs,” Chrapek said.

To get in touch with the Volusia Recovery Alliance you can send an email to info@volusiarecoveryalliance.org or call (386) 777-PEER.