Waterbury, CT Detox and Rehab Centers

Located in Connecticut’s New Haven County, the city of Waterbury has a population of 107,841.¹ It’s home to a very diverse community with plenty of entertainment for both night and day, including parks, restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and bars.¹ However, the underlying issue of substance misuse and overdose-related deaths has been an ongoing and uphill battle for this Connecticut city during the past decade.²

In 2014, New Haven County, as a whole, reported 500 overdose-related deaths due to opioids, with heroin being the cause of 327 of them.² The number of overdose-related deaths increased by 100 the following year, with heroin accounting for 415 of them.² Other substances linked to these opioid-related deaths were fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone, although opioids weren’t the only substance-related fatalities.²

According to a region-wide report, New Haven County—among others—witnessed an average increase in overdose-related deaths by 100 per year between 2016 and 2020.³ However, between 2019 and 2020, New Haven County alone saw a 40% increase in substance use fatalities.³

This uptick in fatal overdoses happening in Waterbury and the rest of the counties in this region of Connecticut were said to have been primarily caused by fentanyl.³ Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid typically prescribed for chronic pain conditions by medical professionals. However, it has found its way into virtually every illicit substance, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA.³

These statistics indicate that the overdose risk of a person with a substance use disorder—especially when the disorder involves multiple substances—is far greater now than ever before. For example, out of 2020’s fatal overdose cases, 47% involved cocaine, while 84% involved fentanyl, meaning there’s an overlap in substance use, even if the person in question doesn’t know that they’re being exposed to fentanyl.³

If you or someone you care about is experiencing a substance use disorder, especially involving opioids or multiple substances, it’s critical to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Waterbury is approximately 25 miles from at least 92 treatment facilities.⁴ The type of treatment you’ll need will depend on your substance use disorder case as no 2 cases are alike. Here’s the breakdown of your local treatment options:⁴

• 75 facilities offer outpatient care programs.
• 19 facilities offer residential care programs.
• 83 facilities offer co-occurring mental health and substance use care programs.
• 40 facilities offer interim care programs.

Residential programs require that you live at the facility for the duration of your treatment, while outpatient programs require that you visit the treatment facility to complete your programs for a set number of days each week. The type of treatment program you’ll need will depend on the severity of your case and your daily obligations.

When you need residential care, but space is unavailable (which is common), you’ll likely need to seek interim care. When interim care is not offered and waiting to start treatment isn’t an option, there are 1,071 treatment facilities within 100 miles of Waterbury, with 267 offering residential care programs and 800 offering outpatient care programs.⁴

The support group meetings sponsored by Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are a big part of substance use disorder recovery. They’re also often required as part of the 12-Step program you’ll find used throughout most treatment facilities.

You can stay up to date with the meeting schedules in the Waterbury area using these resources:

• NAMI Connecticut Affiliates and Support Groups
• Connecticut General Service Committee for AA Meetings
• Connecticut Region of Narcotics Anonymous for NA Meetings

AA and NA support group meetings are meant to offer a foundation of support, understanding, and guidance from your peers. They are not meant as a form of treatment, and they cannot take the place of a professional treatment program.

Sources:

1. Niche.com. (n.d.). Waterbury, Connecticut.
2. Patch.com. (2016). Connecticut continues to see a sharp rise in heroin and other opioid-related deaths.
3. Datahaven.org. (2021). Report: New Haven-area overdose deaths hit a record high in 2020.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). FindTreatment.gov. (n.d.). Results.