Finding HELP There are a number of local options for those seeking treatment for drug addiction. Here is a list of resources that can help. Cypress CreekHospital 17750 Cali Drive, Houston 281-586-7600 www.cypresscreekhospital.com TheHarris Center forMental Health and IDD 9401 I-69, Houston 713-970-7000 www.theharriscenter.org Northwest AssistanceMinistries 15555 Kuykendahl Road, Houston 281-885-4662 www.namonline.org/nam_behavioral_ health_services SymetriaOutpatient Rehab& Suboxone Clinic 635 Rayford Road, Ste. E, Spring 832-520-2436 www.symetriarecovery.com
naloxone 300 times as of May 1—71 of which occurred in the 77090 ZIP code. Additionally, Brown said HCPH’s Overdose Data to Action program col- lects overdose data to inform local pre- vention and response efforts. HCPH also partners with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to identify areas of high risk and provide resources to mitigate crime and drug use. In Texas, a slew of lawsuits filed against major pharmaceutical companies has brought in nearly $2 billion to the state with the majority of the funds directed toward opioid abatement initiatives, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced in a Feb. 16 news release. Texas has secured more than $1.89 billion from lawsuits with makers and distributors of opioids, including Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, to date, accord- ing to the news release. A settlement reached in October with pharmaceu- tical company Johnson & Johnson netted the state $290 million, includ- ing $3.9 million for Harris County. A list of fundinguses providedby the attorney general’s office includes the purchase of nalaxone or similar drugs for local EMS entities, community drug disposal programs, training for
first responders, and youth-focused programs aimed at discouraging and preventing drug misuse. Candace Runaas, director of behavioral health for Northwest Assistance Ministries, said the most important thing an individual struggling with addiction can do is ask for help. The Spring-based nonprofit’s behavioral health program assists clients dealing with mental health and substance use issues through group and community therapy, which Runaas said can be particularly beneficial follow-up care for clients after leaving a treatment center. “It can be really helpful to have behavioral or mental health services once they return to help themmanage, function and cope once they come out of treatment centers to address what’s going on with them systematically— like what are their triggers, what in their history is influencing them at this point,” she said. “By exploring that, you can help that individual recognize that they can change that pattern.” Danica Lloyd contributed to this report.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED, ... WE SEE INCREASED VULNERABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO OPIOID USE AND OTHER FORMS OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE. TYLER VARISCO, HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCHER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
working to address the opioid epidemic through local funding, law enforcement resources and increased education surrounding opioidmisuse. In 2015, Texas legislators passed a law providing liability protection for doctors, pharmacists and first responders to prescribe or administer naloxone, a medicine used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses. Since its inception in September 2021, Hooten said ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare emergency medical technicians have administered
SOURCES: CYPRESS CREEK HOSPITAL, SYMETRIA OUTPATIENT & SUBOXONE CLINIC, NORTHWEST ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES, THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
For more information, visit communityimpact.com.
If your bank is changing names...
...maybe it’s time to change banks.
CHOOSE
FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED FOR OVER 50 YEARS
Texan. Always.
21
SPRING - KLEIN EDITION • MAY 2022
Powered by FlippingBook