The overview
Brought to City Council by District 5 council member Teri Castillo, the resolution emphasizes City Council’s commitment to reduce fatal and nonfatal overdoses in San Antonio. It also includes a council consideration request, or CCR, which is a request to include the issue in future meetings.
“This resolution is more than just words on a paper; it is a call to recognize that when we scale our efforts with the county, we can save more lives,” Castillo said.
According to a news release, the city will partner with Bexar County, community organizations, health care providers and public safety agencies to respond to crises and create a healthier, safer, and more equitable community.
The CCR seeks methods to:
- Explore expanding availability, training and use of naxalone, or Narcan, for community-based nonprofits and workers in public-facing city departments as well as buildings that are owned, managed and/or leased by the city
- Develop and fund a city-sponsored program for pregnant people and new mothers experiencing opioid addiction
- Support community-based groups and initiatives that provide prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services
Additionally, the city has dealt with a high demand for mental health services. Since 2020, both city and county adult and child mental health units have operated at 120% capacity.
The background
Castillo first issued a CCR to develop a resolution declaring overdoses a public health crisis June 27, 2023. A draft of the resolution was presented to the Community Health Committee on June 5, 2024, which requested City Council to consider the resolution for adoption.
According to city documents, the resolution was in response to a 57% increase in drug induced deaths through the U.S., which included 5,688 Texas residents and 469 Bexar County residents.
