Gov. Greg Abbott rolls out $10 million initiative to combat fentanyl crisis, provide Narcan

Abby Church
·2 min read
14

Gov. Greg Abbott’s office announced Thursday it would roll out a $10 million multimedia awareness initiative to combat the growing fentanyl crisis, according to a press release.

Part of that initiative, which will be done through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, includes partnering with the Texas Department of Emergency Management to give Narcan to each of Texas’ 254 counties.

“Thanks to President Joe Biden and his reckless open border policies, the historic levels of fentanyl flooding across our border remains the single deadliest drug threat Texas and our nation have ever seen,” Abbott wrote in the release.

Abbott’s announcement comes after his September directive to get state agencies to ramp up their response to the fentanyl crisis, which led HHSC and the University of Texas at San Antonio to create an initiative to educate Texans about fentanyl’s dangers and how to use Narcan to save someone who has overdosed, the release reads.

““It is crucial we raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl to prevent poisonings in Texas,” Cecile Young, HHSC’s executive commissioner, wrote in the release. “All Texans should understand fentanyl risks and talk with their loved ones about its dangers and the life-saving power of Narcan. Through this $10 million multimedia operation, HHSC is helping Texas lead the fight against the fentanyl crisis plaguing our state and nation.”

North Texas has not been immune to issues surrounding opioid use. This week, an unresponsive student at DeWitt Perry Middle School in Carrollton had to be revived in a classroom with Narcan following a possible overdose, WFAA-TV reported.

Cash that came from the state’s opioid settlement will help fund Narcan for Texas’ counties, the governor’s office said. The first 20,000 units will be distributed to sheriff’s offices. Each county will be eligible for the first allotment depending on its population and size.

All sheriffs were notified Thursday and can request their county’s allotment through the State of Texas Assistance Request (STAR) process, according to the release.