IDENTIFYING & TREATING OVERDOSES
Every second counts when someone undergoes a suspected overdose. Being able to quickly identify and administer Narcan could mean the di erence between life and death.
Being able to identify an overdose as soon as possible is crucial to a person’s health and can be identi ed through: IDENTIFY UNCONSCIOUSNESS SMALL PUPILS SLOW OR SHALLOW BREATHING
TREAT
Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference Sept. 21 about increased fentanyl activity.
Overdoses can be treated with Narcan—also known as naloxone—a medicine that is used to reverse an opioid overdose and should be administered as soon as possible. It will not have an e ect on a person who does not have any opioids in their system. Narcan comes in two forms:
“MOST INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFER A FENTANYL RELATED DEATH PROBABLY DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE INGESTING THE DEADLY DRUG. MANY OF THOSE WHO WERE POISONED UNWITTINGLY INGESTED DEADLY COUNTERFEITS THAT APPEARED TO BE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, WHICH WERE ACQUIRED OUTSIDE OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.” GOV. GREG ABBOTT IN A LETTER TO STATE AGENCIES
INTRAVENOUS:
delivery/possession of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance to a minor and possession of a controlled substance. A second person arrested is a minor, and their information was not released. The operation will compile data using connecting platforms and soft- ware for readily accessible information throughout the region, Barnett said. In addition to tracking and enforc- ing fentanyl distribution, there is an educational component as well, under the TNG Joint Counterdrug Task Force DDRO program. Hager and other o cials have underscored the need for parents to be engaged in their children’s lives, espe- cially regarding social media as it is the primary way kids get ahold of drugs. “They can have anyone deliver whatever they want to them at any time, and that is the true danger right there,” Hager said. “The perception of harm has to be created. This is a deadly, deadly drug.” A landmine of problems Another issue alongside the sparsity of tracking the deaths is the preven- tive measures to keep someone from overdosing. As education plays a big role in the task force, it is important to recognize the impact that abstinence-based edu- cation can have, according to Eli Cor- tez, organizer and training coordinator for the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance. The THRA provides outreach for people at risk of opioid overdose in the Austin area. It does this through hygiene kits, safe smoking kits, safe injection kits and fentanyl testing strips. A large part of the education portion of THRA is explaining how to properly use Narcan and encouraging people to test their drugs.
However, fentanyl testing strips that can easily prevent an overdose are illegal and classi ed as drug parapher- nalia in many states across the coun- try—Texas included—Cortez said. In interviews with overdose survi- vors, Barnett said that they knowingly ingested fentanyl, though the motives for that remain unclear. Kenneth Smith, a Texas State Uni- versity professor in the School of Social Work, said that most people do not actively seek fentanyl, heroin or any other hard drug right o the bat. But, individuals may seek something stron- ger as their tolerance increases. In many cases, there is clinically a bigger mental health issue at play as addiction comes in the form of comor- bidity: two or more diseases at once, Kenneth Smith said. Tackling this would require greater access to health care and reeling back on the stigma surrounding mental health. Reframing the deaths Carilu Bell, of Austin, hopes to raise awareness surrounding fentanyl and the stigma that is attached to the word “overdose,” following the death of her son, Casey Copeland. A certi ed personal trainer and Texas State alumnus, Copeland died in August 2021 from taking what he thought was Valium but turned out to be fentanyl. “I thought it had to have been due to natural causes … it wasn’t until I got the toxicology report back to nd out it was fentanyl,” Bell said. Lawmakers aim to reclassify fen- tanyl overdoses and poisonings during the upcoming 88th Texas Legislative session that begins in January. If reclas- si ed, individuals who are caught distributing fentanyl to unsuspecting people could be charged with murder. In July 2021, Gov. Abbott signed Sen- ate Bill 768 which enhanced criminal
• Doses should be administered under the skin or into a muscle
VOMITING PALE SKIN PURPLE LIPS AND FINGERNAILS
NASAL SPRAY:
• Tilt person's head back and support the neck • Insert tip of nozzle into one nostril • Press the plunger rmly to give dose of Narcan HAYS HOPELINE: www.hayscisd.net/hopeline SAN MARCOS RATTLER TIP LINE: www.smcisd.net/Page/3984
SOURCES: NARCAN, NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, MAYO CLINIC COMMUNITY IMPACT
penalties for manufacturing and dis- tributing fentanyl in Texas. “Connecting fentanyl to the respon- sibility of death for another individ- ual—we would just have to coordinate with the district attorney to determine the amount of culpability for that death and determine the most appropriate charge,” Barnett said. He added that there are a variety of factors that can a ect the overall charge including age of the victim, intent, knowledge and more. O cials say that the most important stronghold in the war against fentanyl is education and outreach. Parents should be engaged with their children and learn about the dangers of the drug claiming the lives of people of all ages. “Don’t ever think that this could not happen to your child because it can. So many parents, I’m sure, have thought that this would never happen to their child, and it has,” Bell said. “I’m very blessed to have had my child for 44 years. My heart was forever broken; my heart breaks more for these parents that are losing their young teens.” A TIP FOR A LIFE Both Hays and San Marcos CISDs have anonymous tip lines, open 24 hours, for students and parents to report any issues they may know of or suspect.
FINDING SUPPORT
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 800-662-HELP (4357) SAN MARCOS TREATMENT CENTER 120 Bert Brown St., San Marcos 800-251-0059 www.sanmarcostc.com POSITIVE RECOVERY CENTER 300 S. CM Allen Parkway, Ste. 200, San Marcos 512-543-2842 There are a variety of resources in Hays County and throughout Central Texas for individuals struggling with psychiatric, behavioral and substance abuse issues.
www.positiverecovery.com RECOVERY UNPLUGGED AUSTIN 5419 S. Congress Ave., Austin 855-657-5815
www.recoveryunplugged.com RIVER CITY REHABILITATION CENTER INC. 1149 S. Academy Ave., New Braunfels 830-621-0282 www.rivercityrehabcenter.com
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCE: WWW.FINDTREATMENT.GOV COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
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