Quick answer
Scioto County recorded 47 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024, down from 81 the year before, but its five-year death rate remains the highest in Ohio. The ADAMHS Board on 7th Street funds the local network, and treatment providers operate in and around Portsmouth.
Last updated: Sat Oct 03 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Portsmouth sits at the center of one of the hardest-hit counties in Ohio - and one where the numbers have finally started to turn. Scioto County recorded 47 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024, down from 81 in 2023. The county's five-year death rate is still the highest in the state, the ADAMHS Board funds the local recovery network from its Seventh Street office, and several treatment providers work in and around the city.
What the county data show
Portsmouth is the seat of Scioto County, home to about 72,627 people, roughly 17,728 of them in the city itself. Household incomes run well below the state median - about $34,713 in Portsmouth and $50,609 countywide - which matters because cost is one of the most common reasons people delay treatment.
The Ohio Department of Health's 2024 overdose report shows the local trend in detail: 47 Scioto County deaths in 2024 (a rate of 71.5 per 100,000), down from 81 in 2023. The improvement is real, but the county's average rate across 2020-2024 - 118.5 per 100,000 - was the highest of any county in Ohio. Statewide, 2,931 Ohioans died of unintentional overdoses in 2024, a 34% drop from the year before.
Work is steadier than it was: Scioto County's unemployment rate fell from 6.4% in August 2025 to 5.0% in August 2026 (preliminary), per BLS local area data.
Where treatment happens locally
- ADAMHS Board of Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties (919 Seventh Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-354-5648) is the public funding and planning hub for behavioral health in the tri-county area. It is the right starting point if you are uninsured or unsure where to begin.
- The Counseling Center in Portsmouth offers outpatient addiction treatment and recovery housing, with CARF-accredited programs across a dozen clinical service lines.
- Shawnee Family Health Center runs its Scioto County clinic at 225 Carlton Davidson Lane, combining behavioral health and primary care in one setting.
- BrightView Health operates an addiction treatment center in Portsmouth with outpatient services, and sister locations in Chillicothe and Georgetown for people willing to travel a short distance.
For the full regional picture - detox, residential care, medication-assisted treatment - the SAMHSA treatment locator can be searched from any Portsmouth ZIP code and filtered by level of care and payment type.
Paying for care
Ohio Medicaid covers counseling and psychotherapy, medications for substance use disorder, intensive outpatient treatment, residential treatment, and withdrawal management for eligible members. If you are uninsured, board-funded providers serve residents based on need, and the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) offers free, confidential referrals.
Starting this week
- Emergencies: call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
- Call (800) 653-9376 or complete . Calling is free - the referral service is paid for by treatment providers - and your insurance benefits can be checked before you commit to anything.
- Contact the ADAMHS Board at 740-354-5648 if cost or insurance is the barrier.
- Search findtreatment.gov from your ZIP code and ask each program what payment options it accepts.
Scioto County's overdose deaths fell by more than 40% in a single year. The local system exists, Medicaid covers most of it for those who qualify - the next step is one conversation.
Questions about rehab in Portsmouth
How many overdose deaths happened in Scioto County?
The Ohio Department of Health's 2024 unintentional drug overdose report counted 47 Scioto County deaths in 2024, down from 81 in 2023. The county's age-adjusted rate of 71.5 deaths per 100,000 residents was still among the worst in the state, and its 2020-2024 average rate of 118.5 was the highest of any Ohio county.
What does the ADAMHS Board do in Portsmouth?
The Adams, Lawrence, Scioto Counties Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board plans and funds behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery support for the tri-county area. Its office is at 919 Seventh Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662, and the main number is 740-354-5648.
Does Ohio Medicaid cover rehab in Portsmouth?
Ohio Medicaid covers counseling and psychotherapy, medications for substance use disorder, intensive outpatient treatment, residential treatment, and withdrawal management for eligible members. Ohio expanded Medicaid in 2014, so many low-income adults qualify. Confirm enrollment and covered services with your plan before booking.
Is it safe to stop drinking or using benzodiazepines on my own?
No. Quitting alcohol or benzodiazepines suddenly after heavy, regular use can trigger dangerous withdrawal and should be done with medical supervision. In a medical emergency call 911; for a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.