Crisis Control

by Kevin Fritz

With its proactive approach in combating the ongoing opioid crisis, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is making significant inroads, according to the latest data tracking the overdose epidemic.

Newly released statistics from the SCSO show that Seminole County experienced 427 overdoses in 2024, with 66 deaths. That’s down 42 percent from 2023, when the county had                        599 overdoses and 113 deaths.

“I think what we are seeing in Seminole County is pretty remarkable,” says Sheriff Dennis Lemma. “Our team takes pride in that reduction, and it reflects our strong work. But there are still a lot of deaths out there. And 427 overdoses is still a big number.”

In partnership with the State Attorney’s Office, Seminole County is a leader statewide in the prosecution of first-degree murder cases for individuals who sell deadly doses of narcotics. 

The drug driving the epidemic is now primarily fentanyl, but the crisis began with opioids such as heroin and pain medications including oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. The epidemic began in the 1990s and spread through a spike in prescriptions for those medications.

Project Opioid, founded in 2018 in response to the epidemic, recently released its report tracking deadly overdoses from 2021-23. The nonprofit organization’s data shows that opioid-related deaths in Seminole County dropped 27.2 percent during that two-year period. 

Overall, Central Florida – which Project Opioid delineates as Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties – saw a decrease of 7 percent, outpacing statewide and nationwide results, which were down 5.9 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively. Orange County showed a 6.6 percent decrease. Osceola was the only local county to post an increase in overdose deaths from 2021-23, up 20.2 percent.

Collaboration Is Key

The initiative driving these encouraging numbers in Seminole County is a program known as SCORE (Seminole Collaborative Opioid Response Efforts). The program comprises what Sheriff Lemma says are vital solutions to the crisis: prevention, enforcement, and treatment. SCORE’s action plan focuses on outreach that includes a public school curriculum, as well as cracking down on drug dealers and steering patients toward treatment.

A wider availability of opioid antagonists, such as naloxone (commonly known as Narcan), is also a key component. The idea is if an overdose can be reversed, a life can be saved.

“Naloxone is as close to having a magic wand as you can get,” says Sheriff Lemma.

The sheriff has long been involved in this war, dating back to at least 2019 when he chaired the Transition Advisory Committee Working Group on Opioid Abuse and subsequently co-chaired the Florida Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse to come up with solutions to address the number of Floridians who were dying each day from opioid-related overdoses. Today, Sheriff Lemma serves as delegate chair for the Statewide Council on Opioid Abatement, is co-chair of Project Opioid’s board of directors, and is a board member of Victoria’s Voice Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by David and Jackie Siegel after the overdose death of their daughter.

“There is hope on the horizon,” says Sheriff Lemma, “but we can’t keep our foot off the gas. We will continue to hold drug dealers accountable and get people the help they need.”

The Road to Recovery

George Margoles, founder/CEO and president of Recovery Connections of Central Florida – which operates recovery centers in Orange County and Longwood – says the SCSO’s newly released data is promising.

“They are very encouraging numbers,” says George. “Seminole’s 42 percent drop is phenomenal.”

Recovery Connections is a Recovery Community Organization, an independent nonprofit organization led and governed by local recovery community representatives. Leaders have firsthand experience in the recovery process, and they are committed to connecting individuals and families to resources that offer pathways to long-term, sustainable recovery from substance use disorder.

“We provide wraparound support with certified peers for participants,” says George, adding that Recovery Connections provides recovery management planning, referrals, and a 24/7 hotline. 

Many members of his team are in recovery themselves, including from opioid addictions.

“They know what an individual is going through,” he says.

Recovery Connections works with Sheriff Lemma’s SCORE team, Seminole County officials, and the AdventHealth Hope & Healing Center in an effort to alleviate the ongoing crisis.