Like many communities, Ulster County has been facing the scourge of the opioid epidemic and the associated substance use disorder. Ulster County opioid deaths are up and have continued an increasing trend since 2014, rising from just 14 deaths in 2014 to 71 in 2021, a 407% increase. Opioid overdose deaths increased 11% between 2020 and 2021. To address this problem, Ulster County continues to pursue a variety of strategies to address this looming public health, discussed in the following snapshot.
