AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin is augmenting its supply of overdose response kits in an effort to continue saving lives amidst the opioid overdose epidemic. These kits will be distributed to city departments, community organizations and businesses across Austin-Travis County.

“Addressing this public health crisis in our community is an all-hands-on-deck effort with federal resources needed to support local efforts. Too many lives are being lost. By securing a direct appropriation of $2 million to help Austin Public Health and its local partners do more to educate and prevent opioid abuse, I hope we can engage more of our neighbors in recognizing the signs of an overdose and how to safely administer a response kit,” said Congressman Lloyd Doggett.

The overdose response kits include naloxone (NARCAN), a drug that can be used to reverse an overdose from opioids including fentanyl.  The kits also include a face mask used for administering rescue breathing/CPR, gloves, and information on how to use naloxone and community resources.

“These kits are lifesaving tools that will save family members and friends from the heartbreak that all too many of us know,” said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes. “Anyone can be a victim of an overdose. It’s important that we all take time to recognize the signs and get help for those who need it.”

Making the community safer by training City staff and community partners and providing them with kits is just one part of the City’s multi-component public health approach. This approach is made possible by Congressionaly Directed Spending from Congressman Lloyd Doggett’s office, administering $2,000,420 through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 

Through the fund:

-Communities for Recovery and Texas Harm Reduction Alliance have expanded their teams of peer recovery specialists. Outreach teams are expanding access to education on naloxone and other harm reduction strategies. 

-University of Texas at Austin Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program (PhARM) is designing and implementing training for emergency department and primary care clinicians on evidence-based practices and effective treatment planning for opioid use disorder. 

-New communication campaigns on harm reduction will be launching in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin Center for Health Communication.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) has been purchasing and distributing naloxone kits for years, and this funding will allow for the purchase of 7,500 additional naloxone kits (15,000 individual doses), as well as expansion of their “Breathe Now” training program. The brainchild of ATCEMS Assistant Chief Steve White, “Breathe Now” is a short class that teaches individuals how to recognize an opioid overdose, administer naloxone, and care for overdose victims until first responders arrive.

“The support and funding provided by the SAMHSA grant and settlement funding will go a long way in helping us expand this important public education initiative,” said Chief White. “We know that naloxone saves lives, and we proved it a few weeks ago when we were able to curb a deadly overdose surge by flooding the city with naloxone. Our goal is to see naloxone available throughout the community, and for everyone in Austin to know how to use it.” 

Fentanyl Is the Most Common Opioid Fueling the Crisis

While there are many different kinds of opioids, fentanyl has become the most commonly used opioid by illicit drug manufacturers. 

Fentanyl facts: 

• Fentanyl is powerful: 2mg (10 to 20 granules) of fentanyl can kill someone.
• Fentanyl has no odor or taste.
• Fentanyl is not picked up by routine clinical urine drug tests.
• 90 percent of poisoning deaths in Travis County are caused by a mixture of drugs and that includes fentanyl.
• 50 percent of methamphetamine-involved deaths include fentanyl.
• Fentanyl contaminates up to 15 percent of street stimulants (including pressed Adderall pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine) so users are unknowingly exposed to life-threatening doses of fentanyl.

Learn to Spot and Prevent Opioid Overdose

Experts recommend everyone learn these important ways to spot and prevent opioid overdoses:

• Don’t use any drug alone or behind a locked door.
• If you have naloxone, let everyone, including fellow drug users, know, just in case.
• Signs of overdose include small pupils, decreased responsiveness/mental status and slow to no breathing.
• If you find someone who has signs of an overdose, even if you are not sure, use naloxone and start basic life support to resuscitate them. Call 911 since fatal opioids usually last longer than intranasal naloxone (about 90 minutes) and a person who has overdosed will need continuing care.

To learn more about how you can recognize and prevent opioid overdoses, please visit www.one-dose.org.