Heroin Treatment in Portsmouth, OH

If you or someone you love is using heroin in Portsmouth, the first thing to know is that treatment works - and it starts with medication, not with promises. The second thing is that the drug supply has changed so much in the past decade that nearly every bag sold as heroin now contains fentanyl, which makes treatment more urgent, not less.

How do I get heroin treatment in Portsmouth, OH?

It depends on where you are right now. If you are physically dependent and using most days, medication first - buprenorphine or methadone - is the evidence-based way to stop the cycle and cut overdose risk. If you are in withdrawal or medically unstable, ask about supervised withdrawal management before starting medication. If someone right now is unresponsive or barely breathing, that is a 911 call with naloxone. If you are not in an emergency, the next step is a single phone call to a program that screens new patients quickly.

Heroin has faded from the supply, but fentanyl has not

The Ohio Department of Health tracked the collapse of heroin in the state's drug supply: 46 unintentional overdose deaths involving heroin in 2024, down from 1,424 in 2015 and a peak of 1,444 in 2016. That is not because heroin addiction went away - it is because fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, which are cheaper and stronger, replaced it. In 2024, 91% of heroin-involved deaths also involved fentanyl.

For Portsmouth and Scioto County, the practical takeaway is this: if you are buying what is sold as heroin on the street, you are almost certainly taking fentanyl. The safest single decision you can make is to start treatment before that gamble catches up with you.

What actually works

Heroin dependence is an opioid use disorder, and NIDA identifies three FDA-approved medications:

• Methadone, dispensed daily through a federally certified opioid treatment program.
• Buprenorphine (often combined with naloxone in products like Suboxone), prescribed in an office or clinic setting.
• Naltrexone, a monthly injection that blocks opioid effects; it requires full detox first.

People on methadone or buprenorphine are less likely to die than people who receive no medication. Counseling and peer support matter, but as an addition to medication - not a substitute for it.

Where to call in Portsmouth

• The Counseling Center (411 Court Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-354-6685) - outpatient treatment, medication-assisted treatment using methadone and buprenorphine, detoxification, and transitional housing.
• BrightView Portsmouth (1405 11th Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 833-510-4357) - outpatient addiction treatment with buprenorphine and naltrexone options, accepting Medicaid and private insurance.
• Amazing Grace Treatment Center (802 Clare Avenue, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-876-8449) - outpatient treatment with methadone, buprenorphine (Suboxone, Brixadi, Sublocade), and naltrexone (Vivitrol), plus counseling, case management, and psychiatry.
• ADAMHS Board of Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties (919 Seventh Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-354-5648) - the public funding and planning hub for behavioral health in the tri-county area; the right starting point if you are uninsured or unsure where to begin.

For the full regional picture, the SAMHSA treatment locator can be searched from any Portsmouth ZIP code and filtered by level of care and payment type.

Naloxone and emergencies

Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose - including fentanyl - and cannot hurt someone who is not overdosing. The Portsmouth City Health Department distributes free naloxone kits at 605 Washington Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (740-353-8863), and Naloxone.Ohio.gov ships free kits statewide. Ohio's Good Samaritan law protects people who call 911 in an overdose. If you see unresponsiveness, slow breathing, or pinpoint pupils, call 911 and give naloxone now.

Paying for treatment

Ohio Medicaid covers medically necessary opioid use disorder treatment, including all three medications, through certified providers. Most Portsmouth providers listed here accept Medicaid; several offer sliding-fee scales. If cost is the barrier, ask the ADAMHS Board about publicly funded slots before you assume you cannot afford care.

How to start today

1. Overdose in progress: call 911 and give naloxone. For a crisis that is not a medical emergency, call or text 988, or the Scioto County crisis line at 1-855-381-1010.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk with a treatment specialist, or send this form:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.

3. Contact the ADAMHS Board at 740-354-5648 if cost or insurance is the barrier.
4. Pick up free naloxone at the Portsmouth City Health Department before you need it.

Heroin has largely disappeared from Ohio's streets, but dependence on opioids has not. Medication is the treatment with the strongest evidence, and the fastest way to protect yourself is to start it this week.

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above.

Other Heroin treatment in Ohio: Heroin treatment in Akron, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Canton, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Chillicothe, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Cincinnati, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Cleveland, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Columbus, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Dayton, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Hamilton, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Kettering, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Lorain, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Springfield, Ohio, Heroin treatment in Steubenville, Ohio.

Frequently asked questions