CONWAY, SC (WBTW)- A study into the opioid and heroin epidemic in Horry and Georgetown Counties is underway. Horry Georgetown Technical College professor Renee Causey is heading the study and gives an update on the first 30 days.
She’s met with parents and people who use heroin, and said the biggest problem is they don’t know where to get help.
“You know somebody who’s on heroin,” said Professor Renee Causey.
Opioid and heroin epidemic is widespread in our area; killing more than 100 people a year.
Professor Renee Causey is studying what treatment resources are available in the community.
“When our community has a problem everyone steps in to help and that’s what I found. There’s a lot of people doing a lot of different things,” said Causey.
There are 16 halfway houses and 5 inpatient treatment facilities in Horry and Georgetown Counties combined, but Causey said people don’t know where to turn.
“People are running around they don’t know where to go and they don’t know what level of care they need so coordination is one of the big findings I’ve discovered in this first phase,” said Causey.
She said parents are getting desperate.
“Parents are actually going to law enforcement and saying please lock my child up or could you please have him arrested because im scared he’s going to die of an overdose,” said Causey.
Causey said a coordinator position may be the answer.
“We can say oh you might tbe best served by this out patient program at Shoreline, or it sounds like you really need inpatient, or you just got out of a treatment facility and it sounds like a halfway house would work,” said Causey.
The $60,000 study is expected to take 120 days and the goal is to fill in the gaps in service.
“We’re hoping to change there’s nothing we can do to here what we can do,” said Causey.
Causey will speak at Myrtle Beach City Council next Tuesday.The next phase of the study includes speaking with law enforcement to see what issues they face.