Texas’ Opioid Fight Faces Uncertainty as COVID-Era Funding Ends

Texas’ no-cost naloxone distribution system faces mounting pressure due to the expiration of $68 million in federal substance abuse funding and broader uncertainty around public health financing.

As reported by The Texas Tribune, the end of COVID-19 emergency funding has disrupted a fragile network of treatment and overdose prevention programs that relied on federal and state support. The funding supported a wide range of services, including free naloxone — commonly known as Narcan —, medication-assisted treatment, recovery housing, and overdose response initiatives.

Naloxone rapidly reverses the effects of heroin, fentanyl or opioid medicine overdose, and experts credit its widespread availability with helping reduce overdose deaths in Texas. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show an 18% drop in overdose deaths in the state, over a recent 12-month period.

Still, public health officials warn that the funding gap is straining local organizations. “The unknown with the budgets is really the scariest part,” said Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Health Department.

State Support and Partnerships

Naloxone Texas, part of the BeWell Texas network, is one of the few programs with stable funding. “We have been pretty fortunate in that … the state of Texas has really supported us, and so we have additional funds for the next two years, so that has really helped us fill in those gaps,” said Karns-Wright, the director of Naloxone Texas.

Supported by $18 million from the state’s opioid abatement fund and university partners, Naloxone Texas continues to expand naloxone training and distribution by partnering with community groups and nonprofit organizations.

However, other programs have had to shut down or scale back. With federal block grants delayed and key federal staff positions unfilled or eliminated, public health departments are facing increased burdens and fewer resources.

Local officials and program leaders say that while partnerships help fill gaps, they cannot replace the stability of consistent federal funding. “To say with all these federal cuts, we’re going to be able to piece it together by working with university partners and with philanthropic support is a short-term solution, but that’s not going to be long-term and sustainable,” said Philip Huang, director of Dallas Health and Human Services.