AUSTIN, Texas — On Tuesday Mayor Kirk Watson and Travis County Judge Andy Brown joined Austin Public Health, Austin-Travis County EMS, and community partners to share an update on a one-time, $2 million federally funded initiative to combat the opioid crisis. The initiative, supported by Congressman Lloyd Doggett through congressionally directed spending administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has contributed to a reduction in overdose deaths and improved access to life-saving information and resources across Austin and Travis County.

“Having previously secured federal funds to assist in addressing this serious public health concern in Travis County, I remain committed to partnering with local leaders and organizations to advocate for every resource we can secure to overcome this epidemic,” said Congressman Lloyd Doggett. “When we bring all hands-on deck, at every level, we can continue to support recovery and save lives. At present, however, the biggest threat to substance abuse treatment are the outrageous Medicaid cuts being advanced in Congress. An ugly detail of the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill” is that 16 million Americans will lose access to a family physician and other vital health care services.”

“Last year, we promised to put this funding to work in a way that saves lives,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. “I’m proud to say we delivered. Thanks to strong partnerships and focused efforts, we’re no longer just reacting to a crisis—we’re building a system that prevents it.”

Highlights of the initiative:

• Over 24,000 doses of naloxone distributed across Austin and Travis County.
• More than 1,100 people trained to respond to overdoses through the “Breathe Now” training program.
• Overdose deaths in Austin are now declining—a key indicator of the program’s success.

“This decrease is just the beginning. Together we’re building a stronger foundation rooted in compassion, data and a commitment to ensuring every member of our community has access to the resources they need to survive and thrive,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown.

Much of the initiatives’ success can be attributed to the work of community partners whose experience and established networks enabled immediate, impactful work.

“This once-in-a-lifetime funding opportunity has saved lives and made an impact in our fight against this epidemic,” said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes. “While there is still

much to be done, the groundwork that was laid in the past year has made our community more resilient and united in the mission to prevent overdose deaths.”

“Our paramedics see the impact of opioids every day, and we’ve made it our mission to turn those moments of crisis into opportunities for connection and care," said ATCEMS Chief Robert Luckritz. "Through our Community Health Paramedics and Opiate Use Disorder Support Program, we’re not just responding to overdoses, we’re building relationships, offering resources, and helping people take the first steps toward recovery.”

Boots on the ground

The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA) hired peer coaching staff who met with more than 100 clients, most of whom made progress on their goals or remained engaged. Staff also provided group trainings to Travis County Correctional Complex reaching hundreds of individuals and conducted hundreds of assessments for people leaving incarceration into homelessness. The THRA was also able to provide 431 linkages to health care, social services and treatment services.

Communities for Recovery provided peer support to more than 50 people, 80% of whom showed measurable progress towards their goals. Staff also led more than 200 groups and activities reaching 2,000+ attendees

Supporting healthcare professionals

The University of Texas at Austin Pharmacy Addition Research Medicine Program (UT PhARM) developed education courses to support healthcare professionals who care for patients with Opioid Use Disorder. Five hundred and ninety-seven providers received this training, and a majority of the participants said they felt more comfortable as they provided care to their patients and intended on increasing their incorporation of harm reduction principles into practice.

Getting the word out

As resources become more widely available it’s crucial to ensure that the community is aware. The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Health Communication developed the “In Austin, We Keep Each Other Safe” media campaign created focused messaging for people who use drugs (PWUD) and provided concrete, actionable steps for harm reduction. The campaign delivered 56 million impressions across various forms of media, and the campaign’s website saw over 58,000 visitors.

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 stopoverdoseatx.org.