North Carolina is preparing to reach a major milestone in its response to the opioid crisis, with the state’s 100th brick-and-mortar Opioid Treatment Program expected to open in October.
The new facility, Asheboro Comprehensive Treatment Center, was approved by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on August 19, 2026. Once operational, it will expand a statewide treatment network that now includes nearly 100 physical locations and three mobile units.
The announcement comes as North Carolina reports continued progress in reducing the impact of overdoses. State data shows that suspected overdose deaths fell by more than 23% during the first six months of 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier.
A New Milestone for Addiction Treatment
The Asheboro clinic will give North Carolina a physical opioid treatment program for roughly every 109,000 residents, according to NCDHHS. Treatment services will have a presence in 57 counties, while mobile programs help extend care beyond fixed clinic locations.
Governor Josh Stein said the expansion is intended to bring treatment closer to people struggling with addiction and to provide more opportunities for long-term recovery.
The milestone is particularly significant because access to treatment can remain difficult for people living far from specialized addiction care. By adding new locations, the state is attempting to reduce the distance between patients and services that can support recovery.
Since January 2025, North Carolina has added 11 new physical opioid treatment programs and three mobile units.
At the same time, the number of people receiving treatment has increased by more than 12% overall, according to the department.
Overdose Deaths Show a Continued Decline
The expansion of treatment comes alongside a broader improvement in the state’s overdose indicators.
From January through June 2026, suspected overdose deaths were down by more than 23% compared with the first half of 2025.
That follows an earlier decline in 2024, when North Carolina’s overdose death rate fell by 35% from its 2023 level.
Emergency departments are also seeing fewer overdose-related visits. During the first six months of 2026, overdose visits to emergency rooms dropped by 18% compared with the same period in 2025.
While the figures point to progress, state officials continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining prevention, treatment and recovery services.
NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai said the state’s approach combines multiple strategies rather than relying on a single solution.
Those efforts include expanding treatment programs, increasing access to overdose-reversal medication and improving connections between health care providers and people who need support.
Naloxone Remains a Key Part of the Response
One of the state’s major overdose-prevention efforts involves the continued distribution of naloxone, a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose.
In 2025, NCDHHS purchased more than 360,000 naloxone kits for distribution through community partners across North Carolina.
Nearly 6,000 overdose reversals were reported between October 2025 and March 2026, highlighting the continuing role of the medication in emergency overdose response.
Naloxone is available through many pharmacies and local health departments across the state.
The state has continued to expand distribution as part of a larger strategy aimed at preventing fatal overdoses before emergency situations become deadly.
Treatment Access Is Expanding Beyond Traditional Clinics
North Carolina’s opioid treatment system is not limited to people living near permanent clinics.
The state’s three mobile opioid treatment units are designed to serve multiple locations, potentially reaching communities where establishing a full-time facility may be more difficult.
The treatment network has also expanded into the correctional system.
According to NCDHHS, opioid treatment programs now work with 56 jails across North Carolina, allowing eligible people in custody to continue receiving medications for opioid use disorder.
Depending on the arrangement, treatment providers can deliver medication to a jail or provide care directly at the facility.
Continuity of treatment can be especially important for people who were already receiving medication before entering custody, as interruptions in care can create additional challenges during and after incarceration.
Tackling Stigma Along With Access
State officials say physical access to treatment is only one part of the challenge.
Stigma surrounding substance use disorder can discourage people from seeking help, while limited availability of evidence-based treatment can leave others without practical options.
Kelly Crosbie, assistant secretary for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, described the opening of new programs as part of a wider effort to make treatment more accessible and reduce barriers that can prevent people from seeking care.
Medications for opioid use disorder, often referred to as MOUD, are widely used as an evidence-based treatment option for opioid addiction.
North Carolina is continuing to expand the systems supporting this type of care while also working to connect health professionals with additional consultation and education resources.
Additional Support for Health Care Providers
NCDHHS is also expanding substance use disorder consultation services through the North Carolina Psychiatric Access Line, or NC-PAL.
The program provides North Carolina clinicians with access to mental health consultation and educational support.
NC-PAL already supports care involving children and pregnant or postpartum patients, and the broader consultation effort is intended to help health care professionals respond to mental and behavioral health needs.
The strategy reflects a growing focus on integrating addiction and mental health support into a wider health care system rather than treating overdose prevention as a stand-alone issue.
What the 100th Program Represents
The opening of North Carolina’s 100th opioid treatment location is more than a numerical milestone.
It reflects a rapid expansion of the state’s treatment infrastructure at a time when overdose deaths and emergency department visits are both moving downward.
However, officials are continuing to focus on the remaining gaps in access to evidence-based treatment.
With treatment programs operating across 57 counties, mobile units serving additional locations, naloxone reaching communities throughout the state and partnerships now extending into dozens of jails, North Carolina is building a broader system around prevention, treatment and recovery.
The Asheboro facility is scheduled to open in October 2026, becoming the 100th physical Opioid Treatment Program in the state.
As North Carolina marks International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, the announcement also serves as a reminder that overdose prevention remains an ongoing effort.
The latest numbers suggest meaningful progress, but state officials say expanding access to treatment will remain central to reducing overdose deaths and helping more people move toward recovery.
