Bexar County Task Force Tackles New Wave Of Opioid Addiction

The chair of the task force says it’s not the same crisis it was a few years ago because people have moved from prescription opioids to heroin and fentanyl.

By Jill AmentFebruary 17, 2020 11:39 am,

Since 2017, a Bexar County task force has been trying to tackle what county leaders call an “opioid crisis.” The crisis isn’t as bad as in other parts of the country, but it’s worse than in other parts of the state. Now, county commissioners have approved several measures aimed at helping people recover from opioid addiction.

TJ Mayes is chair of Bexar County’s Opioid Task Force. While the crackdown on opioid manufacturers has helped stem overprescription, Mayes says Bexar County is dealing with the secondary effects of the crisis like increased used of heroin and fentanyl.

“We are in a new wave of the crisis, but it’s not the same crisis that it was four or five years ago,” he says.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

– Who’s involved in helping stem the opioid crisis in Bexar County

– Why the task force is focused on helping pregnant women and those incarcerated, who are also addicted to opioids

– How peer recovery will play a role in fighting opioid addiction

– How the county plans to tackle addiction issues more broadly

 

Written by Caroline Covington.