Travis County DA's office partners with Austin groups to support addiction recovery services
The Travis County district attorney's office has pledged $15,000 from its discretionary fund to the SIMS Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mental health and drug addiction recovery services to musicians, after overdose deaths spiked in the area during the pandemic.
The DA's office is partnering with the foundation and the Red River Cultural District to put on a set of downtown concerts Saturday. All money raised from the concerts will go to the SIMS Foundation.
In Travis County, 262 people died from drug-related causes in 2020, a 36% increase from the 193 who died in 2019, according to the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance. The rise is in line with what happened across America, with people dying from drug overdoses in 2020 at a rate nearly 30% higher than during the previous year.
"We know that we must treat substance use disorder and overdoses in our community as a public health issue, and that doing so will make our community more safe," Travis County DA José Garza said.
The DA's office does not prosecute drug possession charges when the amount cited is less than a gram, with the exception of fentanyl.
If someone overdoses in Travis County, it's highly unlikely the DA's office would charge the person who calls an ambulance, said Assistant District Attorney Trudy Strassburger.
"Call 911, focus on getting your friend help," Strassburger said. "Chances are, you're not going to be charged."
In 2018, the Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative donated 480 doses of the drug naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, to the Travis County sheriff's office so all deputies could have it on hand.
In 2020, Texas Health and Human Services partnered with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services to create opioid response teams that can connect people to medication-assisted treatment and recovery.
"As overdose deaths hit a record high this past year in our county and across the country, we must do everything we can to address this as the public health crisis that it is,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said. “Every overdose death is tragic, but we absolutely can take steps to prevent them."
How to attend
All concerts begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, and they are free to attend.
Musical artists Otis the Destroyer, Rare Bloom, Aspen 88 and Hey Hey Baby will perform at the Empire Control Room, 606 E. Seventh St.
Artists Blackillac, STRVCK and Sheridan Reed will perform at the Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad, Lord Friday the 13th, and Moon Medallion will perform at The Green Jay, 711 Red River St.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Travis County DA's office joins SIMS Foundation in supporting services
