Substance use is a concern in Iowa, though the state has one of the lowest overdose death rates in the country. Methamphetamine has now overtaken opioids as the leading cause of overdose deaths. Key figures:

• 14 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people in 2023, well below the national average, according to USAFacts.
• 462 overdose deaths in 2023.
• The third-highest rate in Iowa’s history since 1999.
• Methamphetamine now surpasses opioids as the leading cause of overdose deaths, according to Iowa Health and Human Services.
• Meth seizures are up 54%.
• Iowa has one of the lowest overdose death rates in the country, despite the meth-driven rise.

Iowa’s crisis is unusual in two ways: its overdose rate is among the lowest in the nation, yet methamphetamine has now overtaken opioids as the leading killer. The state’s meth problem is growing even as its overall numbers stay low.

Iowa expanded Medicaid in 2014 through its Iowa Health and Wellness Plan. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services administers the program, which covers substance use disorder services. Of the 187 facilities listed below, 179 accept Medicaid.