Va. EMS sees nearly 50% drop in overdose calls since 2022

By Gwyndolyn Miles
Richmond Times-Dispatch

RICHMOND, Va. — Overdose-related calls to the Richmond Ambulance Authority have dropped by nearly half since 2022, according to data released Monday during an International Overdose Awareness Day event.

The authority reported 1,991 overdose calls in 2022 and 1,042 in 2025. Through July 2026, the agency had responded to 506 overdose calls. Officials credited recovery outreach efforts, public education and increased access to naloxone for helping reduce overdoses in the region.

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The Richmond Ambulance Authority and Daily Planet Health Services shared the figures during an event at the Daily Planet building on West Grace Street. Organizers said the gathering was intended to raise awareness of overdose prevention, connect residents with recovery resources and honor those who have died from overdoses.

According to the authority, overdose calls declined from 1,991 in 2022 to 1,967 in 2023, before dropping to 1,148 in 2024 and 1,042 in 2025.

“The efforts we are making to fight the opioid epidemic are paying off, but there is still a lot of work left to be done,” said RAA Registered Peer Recovery Specialist Robyn Hantelman.

In partnership with Daily Planet Health Services, the authority said it hopes to raise awareness of available recovery resources and encourage more people struggling with addiction to seek help.

“Through public education, increased accessibility to naloxone and a reduction in stigma, we can continue connecting those suffering from addiction to recovery resources and prevent deaths in our community,” Hantelman said.

The RAA pointed to several initiatives it believes have contributed to the decline in overdose calls, including its First Responders for Recovery program, launched in 2019 to connect people who use substances with recovery resources. In 2025, the authority also hired an internal Registered Peer Recovery Specialist through a grant funded by the city of Richmond.

The International Overdose Awareness Day event, which was open to the public, focused on remembrance, education and overdose prevention.

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