Quick answer
Mercer County recorded 44 overdose fatalities in 2024, down from 92 the year before. Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is the county's certified behavioral health clinic, Bluefield Area Transit links Bluefield with Princeton, and a new hospital campus is coming to Bluefield in 2027. Here is how to start.
Last updated: Thu Oct 01 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Bluefield sits in Mercer County on the Virginia line, and its overdose numbers moved the right way in 2024 - cutting nearly in half. The county's certified behavioral health clinic, a regional hospital network, and a bus system that reaches five towns give people here real options. Here is the picture.
Mercer County by the numbers
Bluefield's population is about 9,158, and roughly 57,524 people live in Mercer County. The Office of Drug Control Policy counted 44 overdose fatalities in Mercer County in 2024, down from 92 in 2023.
What was present in those deaths (a death can involve several substances):
- Fentanyl in 73% - still the dominant driver.
- Other drugs and methamphetamine in 50% each, cocaine in 25%.
- Benzodiazepines and other opioids in 18% each, gabapentin and THC in 16% each, alcohol in 14%.
One encouraging measure: opioid prescription dispensing in the county dropped 66.1% between 2014 and 2024, among the largest declines in West Virginia.
Treatment in and around Bluefield
Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is the county's local comprehensive behavioral health provider and one of West Virginia's certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Its Princeton clinic is at 200 12th Street Extension, and it operates a separate substance use disorder services site at 1345 Mercer Street in Princeton, with a 24/7 crisis line. Because Southern Highlands is a CCBHC, it must serve anyone who requests care regardless of ability to pay, residence, or age - significant in a county where 18.5% of Bluefield residents live in poverty.
Southern Regional Community Corrections handles the county's community corrections work. On the hospital side, WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital - a full WVU Medicine member since January 2023 - operates a 203-bed acute care facility and a 64-bed psychiatric hospital in Princeton, plus an emergency room and outpatient services facility in Bluefield, with a new hospital campus planned for Bluefield in 2027.
Bluefield is also a college town: Bluefield State University, a historically black university, has been part of the city since the 1890s, and campus resources can matter to students and staff seeking help.
The SAMHSA treatment locator lists all licensed providers near ZIP code 24701, filterable by level of care and payment.
Transportation that reaches you
Bluefield Area Transit (BAT), based at 3208 John Nash Blvd in Bluefield, runs routes serving Mercer and McDowell counties with stops in Bluefield, Princeton, Athens, Welch, and Gary - so a treatment appointment in Princeton does not require a car. BAT carried nearly 212,000 passengers in 2019, most of them elderly or disabled riders. Medicaid members have a second option: the state's contracted broker arranges non-emergency medical transportation to covered services.
Covering the cost
Bluefield's median household income is about $49,375. West Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2014, and Medicaid covers substance use disorder services for qualifying adults. If you have no coverage, Southern Highlands' CCBHC status means inability to pay should not block care, and the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP provides free referrals around the clock.
How to begin
- Emergency: call 911. In a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; treatment providers fund the referral service, and your insurance can be checked before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov from ZIP code 24701.
- If you are uninsured, contact Southern Highlands directly - CCBHCs cannot turn people away for inability to pay.
Mercer County's overdose count fell by nearly half in one year, and the county holds a certified clinic that must take everyone who asks. That combination is worth acting on today.
Questions about rehab in Bluefield
How many overdose deaths happen in Mercer County?
The West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy reports 44 overdose fatalities in Mercer County in 2024, down from 92 in 2023. Deaths are counted by county of occurrence rather than residence, and one death can involve several substances.
Where can I get addiction treatment near Bluefield?
Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is Mercer County's designated behavioral health provider and a state-certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. It runs a Princeton clinic and a dedicated substance use disorder services site, with a 24/7 crisis line.
How do I get to appointments without a car in Bluefield?
Bluefield Area Transit serves Mercer and McDowell counties with routes into Bluefield, Princeton, Athens, Welch, and Gary. West Virginia Medicaid members can also arrange non-emergency medical rides through the state's transportation broker.
Does West Virginia Medicaid cover addiction treatment?
Yes. West Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2014, and behavioral health services including substance use disorder treatment are covered for members who qualify. Check your enrollment and provider network before you start.
Is withdrawal from alcohol or opioids dangerous?
Stopping alcohol or benzodiazepines suddenly after heavy use can be life-threatening and needs medical supervision. Opioid withdrawal is rarely fatal but is far safer with medical support. Call 911 if someone is unresponsive or struggling to breathe.