Overdose deaths in Travis County down by 22 percent in the last year: officials

AUSTIN, Texas - Travis County officials discussed new developments Monday relating to the drug-induced overdose crisis ahead of the release of the 2024 Medical Examiner's Report.

County Judge Andy Brown was joined by Dr. Keith Pinckard, Travis County chief medical examiner; Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority; Robert Luckritz, ATCEMS chief; and Maggie Luna with the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance.

Travis County overdose deaths down in 2024

By the numbers:

"For the first time in years, we're seeing a significant and measurable decline in drug-related deaths across our community," said County Judge Brown.

Brown shared that Travis County has seen a 22% drop in drug-induced accidental deaths, from 486 in 2023 to 380 in 2024.

Brown also says that deaths involving fentanyl have decreased by 36%, from 279 in 2023 to 179 in 2024.

"The decrease in drug-related and fentanyl deaths is a direct result of the work that so many of y'all and others across Travis County have been doing," said Brown.

Since 2021, the county has allocated almost $5 million in federal and local funds and grants to address the opioid, fentanyl, and overdose public health crisis, says Brown. The county has also received another $1.4 million in new opioid abatement funding from a settlement.

Dr. Pinckard provided more context to the numbers to show the "substantial decline".

"Drug toxicity remains the most common accidental cause of death in Travis County. It has been number one since 2021," Pinckard said. 

He added that 58% of all drug deaths in Travis County were due to the presence of more than one drug in the body, but that with fentanyl, the county saw a ten-fold increase in just four years.

In 2019, Travis County had 22 fentanyl-related deaths, with that number surging to 245 in 2022, then increasing again in 2023. 

Pinckard also talked about another statistic the county tracked, which is the percentage of fentanyl-related deaths in relation to all drug deaths in the county.

"So back in 2019, 12% of all drug deaths involved fentanyl. This rose to a maximum in 2022 at 59% and a similar percent at 56% in 2023," Pinckard said. "In contrast, in 2024, the percentage of all drug deaths with fentanyl involved declined to 47%. So what this means is that not only is the absolute number of fentanyl-involved drug deaths decreasing, but the percentage of all drug deaths involving fentanyl is also decreasing as well."

Pinckard says that the overall drops in drug-related deaths are "very good news" and "speaks to the efficacy of the interventions, such as naloxone distribution and other harm-reduction measures".

What Travis County is doing to combat opioid overdoses

What they're saying:

Dr. Walkes spoke about what the city of Austin, Travis County and other organizations, like the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, are doing to reduce the number of drug deaths.

Walkes says that more than 36,000 doses of naloxone, also known as Narcan, have been distributed to community partners, city and county staff and members of the public.

More than a thousand people, including city and county employees, have received training on how to recognize and respond to an overdose.

Walkes also says community messaging has also been "crucial in these efforts," including the In Austin We Keep Each Other Safe campaign with UT Austin.

"These efforts are saving lives, and we are committed to continuing this work. Today, while we acknowledge promising progress, I want to emphasize that the work is far from over," Walkes said.

Luckritz spoke about what specifically ATCEMS has done to support efforts to reduce drug deaths.

"Every life saved represents a moment where the right resource met the right person at the right time, which is the idea that is at the core of our very mission," said Luckritz.

ATCEMS's Opiate Use Disorder Support program "is designed around harm reduction and overdose prevention", says Luckritz. As part of the program, ATCEMS community health paramedics follow up on every overdose the agency responds to.

The paramedics offer Narcan kits, overdose prevention education, and access to treatment and recovery options, including follow-up care with ATCEMS's nationally recognized bridge program to assist them with getting into permanent treatment.

Luckritz says that ATCEMS is also distributing Narcan kits from all its ambulances, and has seen a five-fold increase in the number that have been distributed. 

ATCEMS also offers a free "Breathe Now" training program to help educate residents on recognizing opioid overdoses, administering naloxone and responding effectively in critical situations. The 45-minute program is led by experts from ATCEMS and Austin Public Health.

The final speaker on Monday was Luna with the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA), an organization that began in 2019 to help respond to "unprecedented opioid overdose rates", according to their website.

"Our small but mighty team, all of us who have lived experience, have been on the ground every day," said Luna. "We have reversed overdoses at bus stops, on sidewalks, in encampments. We've distributed Narcan. We've hosted trainings. We help hundreds access housing. Mental health care, substance use treatment, and medical care. This is what happens when community and government work together, not in silos, but in solidarity."

Luna says THRA had over 300 documented overdose reversals in 2024, and even shared an anecdote of one of those reversals:

"We had somebody come in front of Texas Harm Reduction Alliance on 1803 East Cesar Chavez, and they threw their car into park and they screamed Narcan," said Luna. "And we had a team run out to the street and reverse this man's overdose. It took three doses and three people to pull this person out of the car. But EMS showed up right after and saved this person's life. And a week later, he showed back up and thanked everybody who was on site that day."

What you can do:

Walkes shared some steps the public can take to help prevent an overdose:

• Never use drugs alone or behind a locked door
• Let others know if you have naloxone
• Learn the signs of an overdose (pinpoint pupils, reduced alertness, slow/absent breathing)
• If someone shows signs of an overdose, administer naloxone, start basic life support and call 911

Walkes also advised that continued care is "crucial and critical" as opioids can last longer than naloxone.

What's next:

The 2024 Travis County Medical Examiner's report is expected to be published online soon. 

Dr. Pinckard says that he will also be presenting the data to the Travis County Commissioner's Court.

AustinOpioid Epidemic