More than 50,000 people in WNC struggle with Substance Use Disorder and almost half (47.4%) of adults living in the region report that their lives have been negatively affected by substance misuse (by self or someone else). Overdoses claim the lives of more than 200 WNC residents annually.
Upon its creation, Dogwood Health Trust committed to providing $5 million per year for five years for the purpose of funding programs and services dedicated to addressing substance use disorder for residents of Western North Carolina in conjunction with programs of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. In 2020, Dogwood granted $5 million in work to address substance use disorder in 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in WNC. By targeting opportunities already based within these counties and supporting work that is locally driven, we are seeing early wins.