Austin opioid deaths decline with $2 million funding

Opioid-Related Deaths Decrease in Austin and Travis County

Success Attributed to $2 Million Federal Grant

City and county leaders point to the success of a $2 million federal grant in reducing opioid-related deaths in 2024. "We are no longer in Austin and Travis County reacting to a crisis," said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. "We are building a system that prevents it."

Key Statistics

• Opioid-related deaths dropped 22% in 2024, from 486 in 2023 to 380 in 2024
• Fentanyl-related deaths decreased 36% from 279 in 2023 to 179 in 2024
• Deaths from opioid use are still the No. 1 cause of accidental death in Travis County

National Trends

Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2024, a 27% decline in drug overdose deaths compared to the previous year.

Use of Funds

The federal funding helped initiatives such as:

• Adding six peer support specialists
• Training over 11,000 people to use naloxone
• Distributing over 24,000 doses of naloxone
• Providing access to treatment centers and medication treatments
• Creating an opioid dashboard
• Training 600 health care providers on opioid use
• Creating a public media campaign and website at austintexas.gov/opioids

Quotes

• "That's not just a number. It means lives saved, families intact and a community that's learning how to keep each other safe" - Austin Mayor Kirk Watson
• "Investments are making a difference" - Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County public health authority and Austin Public Health medical director
• "We delivered very real results" - Austin Mayor Kirk Watson

Future of Funding

The federal grant funding is scheduled to end this month and will not be renewed. However, the city, county, EMS, and Austin Public Health can use funding from court-ordered opioid settlements.

Resources

• Know the signs of an overdose:
  • Pinpoint pupils
  • Extremely pale or clammy face
  • Limp body
  • Fingernails or lips are purple or blue in color
  • Vomiting or making gurgling noises
  • Unable to be awakened or unable to speak
  • Slow or no breathing or heartbeat
• What to do if you think someone has overdosed:
  • Call 9-1-1
  • Try waking the person
  • Tilt the person’s head back and give naloxone (Narcan), if available
  • Begin rescue breathing or CPR chest compressions
  • Turn the person on their side to prevent choking
  • Stay with the person until emergency services arrive