Photo courtesy of Inova
Inova Alexandria Hospital
Inova Health Wednesday released new data finding nearly half of adults in Northern Virginia are either personally impacted by substance use or know someone who is, with even higher numbers among millennials.
Inova released the survey data as part of its Act on Addiction Campaign, which aims to spark meaningful dialogue around the realities of substance use, promote harm reduction and prevention strategies, reduce stigma, and highlight the profound impact addiction has on families and communities.
The program, now in its seventh year, comes at an inflection point for the local community, and the nation overall. While the Commonwealth of Virginia continues to confront the devastating impacts of fentanyl, there has been a significant decline in overdose deaths.
This suggests that harm reduction strategies, such as widespread naloxone (Narcan) distribution and training, public education campaigns on fentanyl awareness, stigma reduction efforts, and targeted law enforcement actions to disrupt the fentanyl supply, may be making an impact.
According to Virginia Department of Health data, overdose deaths declined by 43% in 2024, earning Virginia recognition as the second-leading state nationwide in overdose death reduction.
“The decline in overdose deaths across Virginia is a hopeful sign that harm reduction strategies are making a real difference,” said Marquitta Duvernay, DHA, senior director, ambulatory CATS and Recovery Services, Inova Health System. “But we know the crisis isn’t over. That’s why promoting these strategies and making sure every Northern Virginian understands their value remains a top priority for Inova.”
While recent data offer hope that prevention and education efforts are making a difference, survey findings show that there is still an opportunity to address the opioid and overdose epidemic in our community.
Notably, 53% of respondents report never having heard the term “harm reduction.” When asked about these harm reduction strategies, nearly one-third of respondents expressed concern that these approaches make substance use seem less risky, may encourage drug experimentation, and ultimately make it harder for individuals to quit. This highlights a critical need for clear education that helps the public better understand addiction, recovery, and the life-saving role harm reduction can play.
There are many reasons why people may not seek care related to their substance use. The survey shows that 75% of respondents thought that people may not seek care because they believe they can manage substance use on their own.
Closely behind, 74% pointed to the fear of people knowing or stigma as a major deterrent in why they think people don't seek care for substance use. These findings further underscore the importance of ongoing conversations about people’s decisions around seeking or not seeking care, which have the potential to lead to action in terms of building better or more responsive systems.
“The survey shows that while Northern Virginians are becoming more aware, there’s still a long way to go to truly protect our communities,” said Tracy Hitt Millar, daughter of Joan and Russell Hitt. “It’s an honor to partner with Inova and support the Act on Addiction campaign again, to try and help break the stigma, raise awareness, and ensure more people have access to the resources they need.”
First launched in 2019, the Act on Addiction campaign was created as part of a $16 million gift from the Hitt family to the Inova Health Foundation to provide more resources for those dealing with addiction and to drive a community dialogue around the issue within the Northern Virginia area. This year, the campaign is focused on equipping families, friends and others with the resources and knowledge they need to offer support to those they know and love who are experiencing addiction.
To further raise awareness and provide critical resources on substance use, Inova will host two events at the Inova Center for Personalized Health at 8100 Innovation Park Drive, Fairfax, Va.:
Act on Addiction: Hope in Connection will take place on Monday, September 29, from 6 – 8 p.m. ET
From Policy to Practice: Advancing Harm Reduction in Community Care will take place on Wednesday, October 1, from 2 – 5 p.m. ET
Both events will focus on harm reduction – exploring approaches that promote dignity, compassion, and health.
Whether for yourself, a loved one, a friend or a neighbor, you have the power to Act on Addiction Now. For more information about Act on Addiction, visit http://www.ActOnAddictionNow.org.
Inova is Northern Virginia's leading nonprofit healthcare provider. Our mission is to provide world-class healthcare – every time, every touch – to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. Inova's 22,000 team members provide more than 2 million patient visits each year through an integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services, and destination institutes.
Inova's five hospitals are consistently recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. News & World Report, and The Leapfrog Group for excellence in healthcare. Inova is home to Northern Virginia's only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Its hospitals have a total of 1,926 licensed beds. More information about Inova can be found at inova.org.
