Fentanyl Treatment in Scranton, PA

Fentanyl has reset the risk math for everyone who uses opioids in Scranton, whether they meant to take it or not. The encouraging part is unchanged: medication works, and this region has more of it than most people assume. The hard part is usually the first call. This page lays out what the local numbers say, where medication is available within 30 miles, and the fastest route to a start.

How is fentanyl affecting Lackawanna County?

The trend line is finally bending. CDC's provisional county-level data count 48 drug overdose deaths in Lackawanna County in the 12 months ending December 2025, down from 55 the year before, on data through early October 2026. Statewide, the Pennsylvania Department of Health's 2024 overdose brief reports 3,341 fatal overdoses in 2024, a 29.2% decrease from 2023.

Two things keep the risk high even as counts fall:

• Fentanyl contributed to 67% of Pennsylvania's 2024 fatal overdoses — it remains the dominant drug in state deaths.
• Xylazine, the veterinary sedative known as "tranq," contributed to 790 of 3,271 statewide overdose deaths in 2024 (24.2%). Naloxone does not reverse xylazine sedation, which is one more reason to call 911 even after a dose goes in.

What medication is available near Scranton?

Fentanyl responds to the same treatment as any opioid use disorder. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, buprenorphine and methadone cut withdrawal and craving and reduce overdose deaths; naltrexone blocks opioid effects once opioids have left the body. Within 30 miles of Scranton, a SAMHSA locator pull on October 20, 2026 lists:

• 6 federally certified opioid treatment programs
• 15 facilities using or prescribing buprenorphine
• 15 facilities using naltrexone (including extended-release injections)
• 8 facilities offering detoxification services
• 13 facilities reporting contingency management and 35 offering outpatient care

Counts change as programs open and close, so confirm current openings on FindTreatment.gov or by phone. Publicly funded assessment runs through the Lackawanna and Susquehanna County Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs at 570-963-6820.

Naloxone: carry it, tell people where it is

Pennsylvania pharmacies dispense naloxone without a personal prescription, and the Lackawanna Recovery Coalition distributes free Narcan. Fentanyl's potency means an overdose can move fast — slow breathing, blue or gray lips, unresponsiveness, pinpoint pupils. Call 911, give naloxone, and stay with the person. A second dose after 2 to 3 minutes is appropriate if there is no response.

Paying for treatment in Scranton

Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, and Medical Assistance covers medication for opioid use disorder when medically necessary. Northeast-region Physical HealthChoices plans include AmeriHealth Caritas Northeast, Geisinger Health Plan, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, and UPMC for You; Community Care Behavioral Health manages Lackawanna County's behavioral health benefits. The statewide PA Get Help Now line at 1-800-662-4357 helps navigate county-funded options if you are uninsured.

How to start today

1. If someone is overdosing, call 911 and give naloxone. For a crisis, call or text 988, or the Scranton Counseling Center crisis line at 570-348-6100.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through medication options with a treatment specialist, or use this form:

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

3. Search findtreatment.gov with a Scranton ZIP code and filter for opioid treatment programs or buprenorphine.
4. Ask each program two questions: "Can I start medication this week?" and "What do you need from my insurance?" The answers decide your next step.

Fentanyl narrowed the margin for error; medication widens it again. The treatment Scranton needs is already listed within 30 miles — the work is reaching it.

Frequently asked questions