SAN ANTONIO – Deaths due to opioid addiction, aside from becoming a national crisis, are also a problem here in Bexar County. Now a local task force meant to help solve the problem has received a multi-million dollar grant.
The Joint Opioid Task Force reports that the community leads the state for infant opioid withdrawal and has the third highest-per-capita rate of overdose deaths in Texas.
On Tuesday morning, the task force announced they are getting a $3.2 million grant to specifically help train people to use Naloxone to put a dent into the number of people dying from overdose.
Naloxone is an instant detox and when a person is experiencing an overdose, and they are administered Naloxone, it reverses the overdose.
The grant will also be used for the purchase of Naloxone and for improving treatment services for people who have experienced an overdose reversal.
"We knew there were a lot of people in the community who wanted to work with us to address this issue," said Dr. Colleen Bridger, task force co-chair with the Metropolitan Health District. "But the number one challenge that came up in our first meeting is well. Where are the resources? So this is a great first step in finding those resources that we need in order to start to put a dent into the number of people who are dying from overdose."
The Joint Opioid Task Force was created by the Bexar County Commissioners Court and San Antonio City Council.
Tuesday was their second meeting.
During their first meeting in August, they divided into work groups to come up with specific plans for the community that they will implement over the course of the year.
