Paoli, Indiana is a small town in southern Indiana. It resides in the Paoli Township and serves as the seat of Orange County. Located about 100 miles south of the state capital, Paoli is connected to surrounding cities via several major roadways, including Interstate 150, which runs directly through the middle of the town. In addition to its historical buildings, Paoli is known for its beautiful forests, including the nearby Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest.
With a population of 3,600, Paoli is the largest town in the county by population, while Paoli Township is the largest township in the county by land area. Sadly, the small town has struggled to keep its small economy afloat, with a poverty rate of 21.5% — well above the state average of 12.3%. [1]
Economic instability has only contributed to more cases of substance abuse in Paoli and the rest of Orange County. Based on the most recent data, alcohol and meth are the two most commonly abused substances in Paoli, Indiana. The town also sees the abuse of other addictive substances, such as marijuana, prescription opioids, cocaine, and heroin.
Continue reading to learn about substance abuse and addiction in Paoli, Indiana. And remember, if you or a loved one are fighting addiction in Paoli or the surrounding area, you can always reach out to Addiction Rehab Centers for help.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Paoli
Due to its small size, the town of Paoli doesn’t have the resources to collect and manage substance abuse data. Fortunately, Indiana puts the responsibility on counties to aggregate the data for all municipalities within their borders. While this does centralize substance abuse data collection and make it easier for state legislators to evaluate the metadata, it’s not as easy to analyze substance abuse epidemics in individual towns and cities. This is because Orange County combines the data collected from Paoli with the data collected from all other towns and communities, including towns like French Lick (pop. 1,722) and Orleans (pop. 2,142).
However, Paoli is still the largest town in the county, and it accounts for approximately 18.2% of Orange County’s population. Therefore, evaluating the county-level data provides a relatively accurate picture of the substance abuse crisis in Paoli. Additionally, due to its proximity to size, location, and proximity to major roadways, it’s estimated that Paoli contributes as much as 30% of the county’s total substance abuse cases — including arrests, overdoses, and fatalities.
Identifying epidemics in small populations is never easy, and Paoli is no exception. Orange County records relatively few fatal overdoses each year. Still, it’s vitally important to analyze this data and see if deaths are becoming more or less frequent in the region. The table below shows how deaths involving all drugs (including alcohol) have changed in the county over the past few years. [2]
Year | Total Deaths | % Change From Previous Year |
2016 | 2 | N/A |
2017 | 3 | Increased by 50.0% |
2018 | 3 | Increased by 0.0% |
2019 | 2 | Decreased by 33.3% |
2020 | 3 | Increased by 50.0% |
2021 | 6 | Increased by 100.0% |
2022 | 4 | Decreased by 33.3% |
*2023 | <5 | N/A |
*2024 | <5 | N/A |
*Data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and may be subject to change. The last date that data was collected was 09/04/2024.
While there is very little data to go on, it’s clear that Orange County, Indiana saw an upward trend in fatal overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2016 and 2022, Orange County recorded between 2 and 3 fatal overdoses each year. In 2021, fatal overdoses doubled from the previous year. In 2022, fatal overdoses declined from 6 to 4. However, 2022’s data still represents twice as many fatal overdoses as the county saw in 2016 or, for that matter, 2019.
The data for 2023 and 2024 is still provisional, and it is unclear whether the upward trend recorded during the height of the pandemic will continue or if fatal overdoses will return to their pre-pandemic levels.
Fatal overdoses do not provide much information in small populations. However, non-fatal overdoses do. This is because non-fatal overdoses are far more common, giving us more data to evaluate. Additionally, non-fatal overdose data tends to be more accurate, as it can be collected via hospital discharges and emergency department visits involving addictive substances. The table below shows the relevant overdose data in Orange County between 2016 and 2024: [3]
Year | Total Hospital Discharges & Emergency Department Visits | % Change From Previous Year |
2016 | 49 | N/A |
2017 | 42 | Decreased by 14.3% |
2018 | 47 | Increased by 11.9% |
2019 | 68 | Increased by 44.7% |
2020 | 41 | Decreased by 39.7% |
2021 | 59 | Increased by 43.9% |
2022 | 59 | Increased by 0.0% |
*2023 | 39 | N/A |
*2024 | 13 | N/A |
*Data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and may be subject to change. The last date that data was collected was 09/04/2024.
Excluding the provisional data of 2023 and 2024, Orange County saw a 20.4% increase in annual non-fatal overdoses between 2016 and 2022. This figure peaked in 2019 when the county recorded 68 non-fatal overdoses. While 2023 and 2024 show a decline in these figures, we must wait until the final data is available before drawing any conclusions. In the meantime, the data for 2021 and 2022 indicates that non-fatal overdoses may still be on the rise.
The correlation between fatal and non-fatal overdoses is extremely important. In 2016, there were 51 total overdoses (fatal plus non-fatal) in Orange County. Only 2 of those overdoses were fatal, or to put it another way, just 3.9% of all Orange County overdoses were fatal in 2016. By 2022 (the most recent year with finalized data), Orange County recorded 63 total overdoses. Of these overdoses, 4 were fatal, representing 6.3% of all overdoses. This means that, not only are overdoses on the rise in general, but the rate of fatal overdoses is also increasing in Paoli and the rest of Orange County.
Types of Substance Abuse in Paoli
In 2023 and 2024, alcohol and meth were the three most abused substances in Orange County. We have seen similar trends in counties throughout southern Indiana. However, it’s important to understand that these trends are based on arrest and re-arrest records. They do not provide a precise account of all substance abuse or all types of substances being abused in the county. They only show what substances are involved in arrests. Nonetheless, evaluating arrest and re-arrest data helps us know what types of substances are more commonly abused from one year to the next.
Here is the latest data from Indiana’s Next Level Recovery program showing the arrests involving different kinds of addictive substances between 2016 and 2024 in Orange County:
Year | Total Arrests | Alcohol | Cocaine | Marijuana | Meth | Opioid | Drug Paraphernalia |
2016 | 243 | 62 | 4 | 95 | 90 | 13 | 60 |
2017 | 341 | 73 | 2 | 118 | 152 | 17 | 49 |
2018 | 470 | 121 | 2 | 145 | 218 | 10 | 93 |
2019 | 364 | 107 | 4 | 80 | 188 | 19 | 62 |
2020 | 267 | 95 | 7 | 71 | 139 | 12 | 81 |
2021 | 220 | 91 | 4 | 45 | 116 | 15 | 72 |
2022 | 151 | 75 | 1 | 29 | 62 | 4 | 45 |
2023* | 238 | 78 | 4 | 55 | 121 | 6 | 79 |
2024* | 194 | 60 | 7 | 53 | 85 | 7 | 64 |
*Statistics for 2023 and 2024 are still preliminary and do not account for the entire calendar year(s).
Like many counties in Indiana, Orange County has seen fewer arrests involving addictive substances over the past few years. Alcohol, marijuana, and meth all saw increased activity between 2017 and 2019. Even though total arrests have declined, alcohol and meth arrests have stayed in 2023 and 2024. Cocaine arrests have increased slightly since 2016, while opioid arrests have declined over the same period. Drug paraphernalia arrests have also returned to their 2016 levels; these arrests are most often associated with meth or heroin.
Paoli Substance Abuse Resources
The town of Paoli does not have any substance abuse programs due to its small size. Since most Indiana towns and cities rely on their county administrators to collect substance abuse data, they also rely on the county and state for programs to combat substance abuse. Orange County has a more detailed community action plan than most counties in the state. Their plan put forward the following mission:
“To create an atmosphere in which substance abuse is no longer the social norm by:
- Educating parents, young people, and community members about the long-term consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use during the adolescent years.
- Promoting communications within the family unit and among the parents of a child’s friendship circle.
- Exploring with young people the development of activities that do not involve the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
- Bringing together parents, school, churches, and community services in a non-blaming effort to restore a wholesome social environment for our children.” [4]
In addition to its community action plan, Orange County participates in 2 of the 7 state-approved initiatives to combat substance abuse. More specifically, Orange County participates in the First Responder Naloxone Training Program and the LHD Naloxone Distribution Program. The former program specifically works to train emergency responders in the proper application of Naloxone, a drug used to save those who are experiencing an opioid overdose. The latter program aims to educate the general public on Naloxone usage and ensure that local clinics and emergency departments are adequately supplied with Naloxone.
Paoli Drug Rehab & Alcohol Rehab
Despite its size, Paoli is a beautiful town that also plays a large role in the governance, culture, and economy of Orange County, Indiana. Though Orange County works hard to implement programs to prevent overdose deaths and educate youth on the dangers of addiction, Paoli doesn’t have many resources to guide those in need to detox or rehab. As a result, many Paoli residents who are currently struggling with addiction feel as though they have nowhere to turn for help.
Fortunately, if you or a loved one live in the town of Paoli, Indiana, and are looking for addiction treatment options, Addiction Rehab Centers is just a phone call or a little over an hour-and-a-half drive away. Located in Indianapolis, Addiction Rehab Centers offers everything you or your loved one needs to feel comfortable and safe while you recover from your addiction. Our trained staff works tirelessly to ensure you have the resources you need to get all the way through detox, rehab, and on to our aftercare support. We even specialize in dual-diagnosis treatments for co-occurring mental health disorders. By reaching out to our team, you can begin your journey to a brighter tomorrow — free from the grip of addiction.
If you or a loved one needs help, don’t hesitate to reach out as soon as possible. Addiction Rehab Centers is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can contact us on our website or call us directly at 844-551-4673.
