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County report finds alcohol use disorder more prevalent than opioids; opioid deaths down in 2024
Summary
Walworth County presented a final health analysis (EUS) tied to opioid settlement planning. The report found alcohol use disorder prevalence higher than expected (~12,000 people), limited recovery housing and provider shortages; county overdose deaths declined to nine in 2024 from earlier highs.
Walworth County staff presented the final Epidemiology and Use Study (EUS) report tied to opioid settlement planning at the Feb. 19, 2025 Health and Human Services Board meeting, summarizing prevalence estimates, treatment capacity and next steps.
The presentation said the county is "stunned at the prevalence" of people meeting diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders when alcohol is included. Staff cited an estimate of roughly 12,000 people in the county who meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder when alcohol consumption is counted; most of those cases were described as mild alcohol use disorder and are not perceived locally as treatment‑seeking problems.
Staff said the study reaffirmed earlier prevention strategies and supported a cautious approach to spending opioid settlement funds. The department has a contract with a medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) provider intended to provide same‑day access; staff said there have been no referrals to that contract yet. Recovery housing remains limited: an earlier RFP did not produce an available site and the county plans to reissue procurement this year.
The report also noted a positive outcome: confirmed overdose deaths in Walworth County fell to nine in 2024, down from peaks of about 29 in 2018 and 2020. Staff said medical examiner confirmations support the fatal overdose counts.
Why it matters: The EUS findings shift some focus from opioid‑only mitigation to broader substance use strategies (notably alcohol), while preserving the county’s ability to use settlement funds for opioid‑related mitigation as needed.
Next steps: Staff said they will continue prevention and stigma reduction work, pursue recovery housing options again, maintain MAT contracts and leverage outreach workers (including Desi Bongard) to identify and engage people after nonfatal overdoses.
