abuse with that kind of barrier in the way,” Welka said. “It’s one thing when they’re here in group and they can get the support and we can really see how they’re being affected. … You just don’t know how somebody is going to respond when they click off of Zoom and all of a sudden they’re at home alone.” Government solutions State and county entities are work- ing to address the opioid epidemic through local funding, law enforce- ment resources and increased educa- tion surrounding opioid misuse. Around 2018, Reed said a state ini- tiative put Narcan—a device that dis- penses naloxone overdose emergency treatment—on fire apparatus in addi- tion to EMS units. The Cy-Fair Fire Department has intervened in more than 700 opioid overdoses since the start of 2018—more than 435 of which have happened since March 2020. The department also works with Houston’s High Intensity Drug Traf- ficking Areas to help identify overdose hot spots and mitigate the problem. Similar efforts are ongoing at the county level. Brown saidHCPH’sOver- dose Data to Action program collects overdose data to inform local preven- tion and response efforts. HCPH also partners with the Harris County Sher- iff’s Office to identify areas of high risk and provide resources to mitigate crime and drug use in those areas in the Violence Prevention Program. Texas Attorney General Ken Pax- ton announced Feb. 16 the state had secured a $1.17 billion settlement with pharmaceutical companies Ameri- sourceBergen, McKesson and Cardi- nal. According to the Harris County Attorney’s Office, the county will receive $1.7 million annually over the next few years from this settlement. The county is expected to receive $3.9 million in May from a settlement with Johnson & Johnson, and another $785,000 is expected this year from a settlement with Endo. According to the attorney general, Texas has secured $1.89 billion to date from opioid settlements. These funds may be used for community drug disposal programs, training for first responders and youth-focused pro- grams that discourage misuse. Reed said he believes education can help prevent overdoses. Many people do not know, for instance, Narcan can be purchased at local pharmacies, and entities such as DanceSafe offer test strips online to ensure substances do not contain fentanyl.
Only have a brief moment to spend with the Lord?
THE CRISIS
Harris County Public Health’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program analyzes overdose data, connects
Latrina Brown, Cypress Resident and Author
patients to treatment and works to prevent opioid overdoses.
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OVERDOSE DATA TOACTION
Funded by a CDC grant, this program supports HCPH in collecting overdose data to inform local prevention and response efforts. INTEGRATED FAMILY PLANNING OPIOID RESPONSE
9533 HUFFMEISTER RD. SUITE B HOUSTON, TX 77095
281.763.7960
Clinics in Humble and Pasadena provide medication-assisted
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treatment and counseling to help patients with opioid use disorder.
VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM
This county initiative works with local law enforcement agencies and other community partners to mitigate violence and its root causes—one of which is drug misuse.
FIND HELP Call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 800-662-4357 or visit www.samhsa.gov for resources and treatment.
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, HARRIS COUNTY INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC SCIENCES/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
MEMBERSHIP THAT
“Amajority of people have an addic- tion to something. They’re not any different,” Reed said. “They’re not a bad person. They just need to know that there’s people to come around them and lift them up and get them through this. And then for those that don’t even want to get clean at that moment in their life, there’s ways to be safe about your addiction.”
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YMCA Mission: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Everyone is welcome. JOIN TODAY | Join us for a summer of engaging activities for youth and families, motivating fitness programs and opportunities to come together as a community. ymcahouston.org
For more information, visit communityimpact.com.
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CYPRESS EDITION • APRIL 2022
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