After a startling spike in overdose deaths in recent years, the City of Austin and Travis County implemented a comprehensive approach for curbing the dire situation. It appears the efforts to combat the opioid epidemic are paying off.
The Travis County judicial system reported that there was a 22% decrease in opioid overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024. This includes all opioids, including heroin, morphine and prescription drugs. And things are looking hopeful for that trend to continue.
“We are no longer reacting to a crisis, we’re building a system that prevents it.” Those were the words of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, at a press conference in early June. The bold statement came after new health statistics and data shows a significant decline in deaths related to drug use. It was a complete turn of events since the last press conference a year before when Austin was seeing an increase.
Prior to the decline, Travis County had the highest death rate per capita for opioid-related deaths. So, what changed in the last year or so? There are several key factors at play that are explored in more detail below.
What’s Behind the Austin Drug Overdose Decline?
As noted, Austin has taken a multifaceted approach to addressing drug addiction and overdoses in the city that have become part of daily life. Health officials understood that getting a handle on the problem meant providing immediate aid as well as ongoing support. Without a range of measures being taken to address the issue at all levels, reducing overdoses is near impossible.
The city of Austin is doing a lot to keep people from overdosing, however three factors are greatly reducing the risk.
Naloxone Distribution and Training
One word: naloxone. The single greatest factor in the decline in drug overdose deaths in Austin is the widespread distribution of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, including one that results from fentanyl use.
In addition to handing out 24,000+ doses of naloxone, the city also funded the Breathe Now program that trains people on the signs of an overdose and how to use naloxone.
Outreach Programs
Naloxone is saving lives, but it isn’t addressing the underlying problem – substance abuse. Believe it or not, the first step in helping someone with a substance use disorder is making sure they know resources are available.
The city has committed millions of dollars for what is referred to as mental health diversion programs. These are programs that are focused on getting professionals out in the community talking to people and sharing information about resources. Within Austin the Texas Health & Human Services operates the Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral (OSAR) program. There is an OSAR program for each region of the state that manages a hotline and offers resources.
The goal is to make initial contact in a non-threatening way in order to inform the homeless and others about assistance and how to take advantage of it. It’s really about providing education that helps people come to the decision to seek treatment on their own and give the support to do so.
More Treatment Approaches and Options For Patients
The hope with outreach programs is that more people who are battling substance use disorders will seek out treatment. The problem is, there’s been a shortage of resources for that next step. It’s a worst case scenario to have someone who’s ready and willing to go to a treatment facility only for there to be nothing available.
This issue isn’t lost on city and state officials. At the beginning of 2023 the city announced a $2 million initiative that would help bolster treatment options. There are also organizations like the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA) that are helping connect people with professionals and determine which centers are equipped to treat certain addictions.
More treatment centers are also adopting holistic therapies, like those we offer at Any Length Retreat, as well as alternative forms of treatment in addition to medications and cognitive behavior therapy. Research is showing that a variety of approaches can lead to better results since the symptoms and experience are different for each person.
The city is also funding supportive housing for the unhoused that provide services onsite. The goal is to have 1,000 housing units built by 2027 to ensure more of the unhoused can find a home that provides stability and a better quality of life. Being able to maintain a safe place to live has a profound impact on lowering stress and helping people recover from addiction.
Austin isn’t out of the woods yet. There were still 380 overdose deaths in 2024, and drug overdoses are the number one cause of accidental deaths in Travis County. But the latest data is very encouraging and proof that Austin is on the path to recovery.
Any Length Retreat is one of the organizations that offer specialized care through programs that are created specifically for men that want to build a foundation for long-term recovery. Our approach to addiction treatment is rooted in healing. Our nationally-recognized programs can address substance use of all kinds including fentanyl, various forms of opioids, alcohol, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Please reach out at your convenience if you have questions or would like to know more about our men’s recovery programs.
