Linda Franiewski, executive director of the Gaiser Center, talks to Action in Recovery founder Jason Beckwith at the center. Beckwith says he is cautiously optimistic about the decline in overdose deaths this year.

The founder of Action in Recovery, a group of people working to stay sober to feel good about themselves by making a positive difference in their community, said he is very cautiously optimistic about the local drop in overdose deaths in 2018.

“It's the collaboration of a lot of things,” said Jason Beckwith, who is a certified recovery specialist and in recovery himself.

“It's the availability of Narcan, access to treatment, the education portion that the county commissioners have been backing, and as a community, we've come together,” Beckwith said. “We're going in the right direction to limit overdose deaths.”

Beckwith said another factor is the strength of this year's heroin compared to last year's, much of which was laced with fentanyl.

“It's a good sign of things coming, but I would caution people not to jump to conclusions that we're on our way to eradicating the opioid crisis, because it's alive and well,” he said.

Beckwith credited the county commissioners with a real commitment to reducing the crisis.

“They've been part of the leadership committee where we try to educate the public,” he said, referring to the five opioid forums held last year around the county. “The commissioners really support Action In Recovery.”

He said those in recovery are almost always ready to help out in the community, and enjoy participating in projects to do so.

“It gives people in recovery a sense of giving back,” Beckwith said. “It serves as a conduit between them and the community.”