In May, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced Texas was awarded $27.4 million in federal funds to stem the rise in opioid-related deaths.

Funds will be used to expand treatment and recovery services for opioid use disorders; provide training on substance abuse prevention, opioid overdose and drug misuse; and expand outreach screening and referral efforts for mental health agencies, according to the commission.

Distribution of funds will be through the commission’s existing providers, new contracts with university partners and a competitive procurement process.

The state anticipates it can help about 14,710 people in the next two years through these efforts. In 2015, 1,186 of the 33,000 nationwide opioid-related deaths were in Texas.

Commander Mike Benavides, public information officer for Austin-Travis County EMS, said Travis County is not experiencing the same rise in opioid overdoses as other parts of the country; however, it is organizing a task force to help get in front of the issue.