Watch full interview here.
Be Well Texas project manager Daniela Olmos was interviewed about the Community Wellness Fair of Be Well Texas in this news segment.
Contact: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu
SAN ANTONIO, May 8, 2024 – Be Well Texas, a statewide substance use treatment initiative of UT Health San Antonio, will host its second annual Community Wellness Fair on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Mission County Park 1 in San Antonio.
The free, family-friendly event will offer a variety of wellness activities, local resources, services and information to enhance the community’s health and well-being. State Rep. Elizabeth “Liz” Campos, District 119, will be the featured guest speaker.
Campos, as well as Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, vice president for research at UT Health San Antonio and executive director of Be Well Texas; and Tara Karns-Wright, PhD, MS, senior director of Be Well Texas, will be available for interviews. Daniela Olmos, project manager at Be Well Texas, can provide Spanish-language interviews from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. the day of the event.
“By attending this event, our community can gain a deeper understanding of the impact substance use has on health, quality of life and relationships,” Karns-Wright said. “Be Well Texas will provide resources, and our staff will be on hand to answer questions and offer support. The whole community is invited, especially people dealing with substance use or mental health conditions.”
Mission County Park 1 is located at 6030 Padre Drive in San Antonio, 78214.
Scheduled Activities and Entertainment
11:30 a.m. – Welcome ceremony, Jennifer Sharpe Potter
11:40 a.m. – Guest speaker, State Rep. Elizabeth “Liz” Campos
Noon – Zumba, sponsored by instructor Robyn Tate
1 p.m. – HIIT workout, sponsored by AlfaFitness
2 p.m. – Group meditation, sponsored by BioThrive Wellness
2:30 p.m. – Door prizes
All-Day Activities
• Local community and wellness organizations with resources and information
• Pet therapy by Therapy Animals of San Antonio
• Food distribution by San Antonio Food Bank
• Overdose reversal training and naloxone (Narcan®) distribution
• Hygiene kit distribution
• Live music
Free Medical Screenings
• Substance use screenings by Be Well Texas
• Wellness health checks by UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing
• Vision screenings by Lions Sight Research Foundation
• HIV and STI testing by Alamo Area Resource Center
• Diabetic screenings by District 2-A2 Lions Clubs
All activities and screenings provided at no charge.
Be Well Texas expands access to compassionate, evidence-based treatment for people who use substances and those with a substance use disorder.
It is part of UT Health San Antonio, a premier academic research center whose mission is to make lives better through excellence in education, research, health care and community engagement.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is one of the country’s leading health science universities and is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. With missions of teaching, research, patient care and community engagement, its schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health have graduated more than 42,550 alumni who are leading change, advancing their fields and renewing hope for patients and their families throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.
Stay connected with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
View the full interview here
The City of Austin is seeing the biggest opioid overdose spike in over a decade. At least 9 people have died so far and the batch of deadly drugs is prompting concern amongst the I-35 corridor, including San Antonio.
“This means is that if someone were to take the same amount of fentanyl as if they were if they thought it was heroin, they're much more likely to overdose,” said Dr. Tara Karns-Wright, Senior Director of Be Well Texas.
Dr. Karns-Wright said the overdoses in Austin can likely be linked to a batch of drugs, most likely fentanyl, disguised as different drugs.
According to Dr. Tara Karns-Wright, there hasn’t been a significant spike in opioid overdoses in San Antonio yet but they’re keeping a close eye after what was unleashed in Austin.
“We always say it's better to be safe than sorry and so we always recommend that everyone always have Naloxone on hand,” said Dr. Karns-Wright.
Dr. Tara Karns-Wright said it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the worst with opioid reversing drugs. Because there is no supply shortage right now, Dr. Tara Karns-Wright said there’s no reason to not have the lifesaving drug on hand.
“It's always great to have it on hand, even if you're not sure if you're likely if you're likely to work with folks who have are likely to suffer from an overdose,” said Dr. Karns-Wright.
We reached out to several school districts in San Antonio, a spokesperson for the Northeast Independent School District tells us the district hasn’t seen increased overdoses and all campuses are equipped with NARCAN.
We also reached out to all major universities. The University of Incarnate Word sent us a statement that reads:
“The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) makes student safety a high priority. As such, the university has for years now maintained 17 easily accessible and strategically placed stations on the Broadway campus with Narcan. In addition, in keeping with best practices, all Resident Assistants in the dormitories and select personnel are trained to administer the drug.”
Trinity University tells us there’s a new initiative that is about to roll out, saying in part:
“Trinity's Narcan distribution and education program—an initiative Trinity's Student Health Services has been partnering with students on—is nearing rollout pending review by University administration.”
Pioneering initiative advances research, treatment, recovery support and education
Contact: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu
SAN ANTONIO, April 3, 2024 – The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is establishing the Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders, a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing research, education and evidence-based treatments.
The new institute includes the current Be Well Texas initiative of UT Health San Antonio as part of a new overall comprehensive center of excellence with national scope for research, clinical and public health programs, as well as education and community engagement to advance the field addressing addiction and related conditions.
The goal of the Be Well Institute is to be a nationally premiere substance use and addiction institute for clinical care and research to advance the understanding of substance use.
The institute will support grants and contracts, partner with organizational entities at UT Health San Antonio whose activities are relevant to these priorities and provide person-centered, interprofessional and comprehensive care. It also will launch clinical and translational research programs to significantly advance the understanding of substance use to scientific discovery and into daily practice more quickly to improve health and reduce sickness and death.
“This institute will lead transformational change in addressing substance use and substance use disorders throughout Texas and the nation,” said Robert A. Hromas, MD, FACP, acting president of UT Health San Antonio.
“We support the discovery, development and implementation of new treatments, or more effective use of current treatments, and this important effort will facilitate the recruitment of outstanding scientists and clinicians to UT Health San Antonio,” he said, “accelerating collaboration among scientists, educators and clinicians to discover, validate and implement new treatments, and serve as a vehicle for partnerships among stakeholders in the community to include scientists, providers and policymakers.”
UT Health San Antonio is the largest academic research institution in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of $413 million. Spearheaded by Be Well Texas founding director Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, Senior Executive Vice President for Research at UT Health San Antonio, the new institute marks a significant milestone in UT Health San Antonio’s commitment to addressing the complex challenges posed by substance use.
It will provide compassionate and transformational care of people who use substances and those with substance use disorder (SUD) – or co-occurring mental health disorders – through innovative research, local networks and engagement, thereby removing stigma and supporting recovery for patients, their families and communities.
A highly integrated, collaborative center
With more than $50 million in National Institutes of Health, state and other federal funding annually, the Be Well Institute will work as a highly integrated and collaborative center across the university and represent a comprehensive framework and programming for advancing the understanding and treatment of substance use disorders.
Through a diverse array of statewide initiatives, including the Be Well Provider Network, the Be Well Clinic, the Center for Substance Use Training and Telementoring, and the Texas Substance Use Symposium, the institute seeks to expand access to services and support for Texans and beyond.
With support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network and other federal funding, the institute includes research, medical interventions and evidence-based treatments, psychological therapies, social and peer support, counseling on lifestyle changes, follow-up care, provider training and education, and many community outreach and educational initiatives.
Substance use is a significant public health problem that includes several challenges, from the illicit use of substances that have been available for centuries, such as opioids, to drugs that have appeared more recently, like synthetic cannabinoids. Substance use and other mental health disorders worsened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substance use among many mentally ill patients also increased during that time as many sought to self-medicate.
Although opioids are most prominent in news headlines, the most problematic drugs of abuse in some regions of the United States, including South Texas, are not opioids, but alcohol, marijuana and stimulants like methamphetamine. Alcohol use is a major contributor to morbidity, including cancer, and mortality. The rate of alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. doubled from 1999 to 2017.
There currently are no FDA-approved medications for treating substance use disorder outside of opioids and alcohol. Thus, the exploding use of stimulants and marijuana represents a vast unmet medical need.
The worsening overdose epidemic exemplifies the desperate need to improve prevention and treatment of SUD through research and programmatic efforts. An unprecedented 107,000 Americans died in 2022 from drug overdose, the highest rate ever recorded.
Often lost in the national discussion of this medical crisis is the fact that this dramatic increase in opioid use and overdose occurred despite the availability of FDA-approved medications that are effective in many patients: methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone for opioid use disorder (OUD) and naloxone for opioid overdose. Discovering and advancing new and innovative approaches for treating opioid overdose and OUD is a critically important endeavor.
Investigators at UT Health San Antonio are conducting state-of-the-art research exploring novel approaches for understanding SUD that will uncover new targets and new methods for treatment.
Similarly, UT Health San Antonio faculty are at the forefront of addressing SUD statewide, including establishing statewide treatment networks, workforce development initiatives and distribution of life-saving naloxone to traditional and non-traditional first responders. Collectively, what is available at UT Health San Antonio is unique in Texas and ready to be expanded nationally.
About Jennifer Sharpe Potter
As a nationally recognized public health scientist and practitioner, Potter leads the state in groundbreaking research and treatment aimed at mitigating addiction, substance use disorders and related disorders. Her expertise spans the development, dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices to support individuals grappling with substance use disorders.
In her role as vice president for research at UT Health San Antonio, Potter provides strategic oversight over the institution’s research initiatives, ensuring the university’s continued pursuit of excellence in scientific inquiry and innovation. Her leadership also extends to pivotal roles as principal investigator of UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science (IIMS) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN), underscoring her commitment to advancing the frontiers of substance use research.
Prior to joining UT Health San Antonio, Potter was with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia and her Master of Public Health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
“The launch of the Be Well Institute heralds a new era of collaboration and innovation in the field of substance use research and care,” Potter said, “and stakeholders from across the academic, health care and public sectors are encouraged to join us in this vital endeavor as we strive to improve the lives of individuals and communities affected by substance use disorders.”
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is one of the country’s leading health science universities and is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. With missions of teaching, research, patient care and community engagement, its schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health have graduated more than 42,550 alumni who are leading change, advancing their fields and renewing hope for patients and their families throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.
The UT Health San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine is listed among U.S. News & World Report’s best medical schools, ranking in the top 30% nationwide for research. To learn more, visit https://uthscsa.edu/medicine/.
Stay connected with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
Hundreds of healthcare professionals attend the 6th Annual Texas Substance Use Symposium in Austin.
View full interview here.
SAN ANTONIO – Hundreds of healthcare professionals are meeting in Austin this week to discuss this issue and focus on identifying challenges and solutions for substance use disorders.
“We want to save lives, but we also want to make sure that everyone that wants treatment can get access to treatment and that the treatment services that they receive are evidence based. So the educational component of the symposium is very important,” said Dr. Adrienne Lindsey, assistant professor and director of the Center for Substance Use Training and Telementoring for Be Well Texas.
Dr. Lindsey is attending the 6th Annual Texas Substance Use Symposium, which will take place from Feb. 29 to March 1, 2024, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Austin.
“We’ll certainly have maybe a little more emphasis on opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder, particularly because we’re seeing a lot of overdoses in that area right now,” Dr. Lindsey said.
The symposium draws hundreds of healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, peer recovery specialists and even law enforcement.
“We are still seeing an increase in overdose rates in Texas,” Lindsey said. “About a 7% uptick in the last 12 months. So, we had almost 6,000 overdoses in the last year. Fatal overdoses.”
Dr. Lindsey works at Be Well Texas, a statewide substance use disorder treatment program of UT Health San Antonio.
The center also conducts research and provides education and training for providers.
“There’s still a lot of challenges around substance use disorders as a whole. Certainly, treatment access can be a challenge,” Dr. Lindsey said.
She said provider education is also a challenge, and there’s still a lot of stigma surrounding this topic.
While the challenges may differ across parts of Texas, Dr. Lindsey hopes people can learn from each other at this year’s symposium.
“I would love to be a part of getting us to a point where substance use disorders are treated like other health conditions, and people know they can go to their doctor or go to the hospital, and be treated with dignity and respect and get that evidence-based care,” Lindsey said.
Watch full interview here
SAN ANTONIO — The opioid epidemic is ravaging the entire U.S. including here in south Texas. Two organizations have teamed up to battle a local surge in opioid overdoses, The Center for Health Care Services, or CHCS, and Be Well Texas' office-based opioid treatment services, or OBOT.
Dr. Jennifer Potter, the Executive Director of Be Well Texas told us, "Unfortunately, now we're approaching the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic, which includes methamphetamine and other stimulants that are also contributing to the deaths that we're seeing."
Dr. Christopher Healey, the Medical Director of CHCS added, "In the years 2020 and 2021, the number of overdose suspected related deaths basically doubled in those years compared to what they had been in 2018 and 19."
The latest Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration drug use survey by Curednation.com analyzed the rates of illicit drug use in every state across the U.S. They found that Texas had the lowest percentage of people 18 and up reporting illicit drug use in the past month out of all 50 states.
Just how many? 9%, which is below the national average of 10.47%. But that is still a lot of people. Dr. Potter added, "Because our population is so large, that number of nine of percent of them reporting illicit drugs, that would mean two million people in Texas are using illicit drugs."
So what do you do if you think someone close to you could have a problem, but not be seeking help? Dr. Healey said, "Try to gather persons who are close to that individual to try to come together and kind of speak in one voice, encouraging that person to seek help."
He also told us that you should come prepared with resources if you are going to approach someone about their drug addiction, so they could take action right there, or very soon after.
Watch full interview here
SAN ANTONIO - For months now, we’ve been bringing you stories about the opioid crisis and the initiatives to combat drugs in our state.
The new efforts include a $10 million awareness campaign, as well as state laws passed to promote drug education in schools.
"My daughter’s death was not an accident she unknowingly took something that had fentanyl in it," says mother Veronica Kaprosy.
We brought you this story last September, Danica Kaprosy died after taking what she thought was a sleeping pill laced with Fentanyl. Since her death, her mother has been pushing state officials to get tougher on drug dealers.
"One life is being lost in death, and the other life will be lost in prison drug dealers as young as 17, 18 that’s a loss of life as well," says Kaprosy.
Over the years 2019 to 2021, overdose deaths involving Fentanyl in the state rose nearly 400%. But passing Fentanyl-related laws like HB 6, which would let prosecutors pursue murder charges in Fentanyl deaths is helping bring illicit drug use down in the state.
“If we don’t talk about it people won’t know,” Tara Karns-Wright, PhD, Senior Dir. of Be Well Texas UT Health San Antonio.
Karns-Wright says aggressive campaigns like One Pill Kills or laws that increase awareness of the dangers of drug overdoses in schools help spread awareness to students.
“It is really important that we're putting that programming into schools and educating our kids and making sure that these risks exist," says Karns-Wright.
These numbers show that statewide Fentanyl poisoning-related deaths have increased since 2014, but you can see a dip from 2022 to 2023. Karns-Wright says talking more about the dangers of drugs should help bring those numbers down more.
"The way we talk about it is a chronic health disorder just like having high blood pressure or diabetes it's just really important we keep talking about it and we keep the message well known to everyone,” says Karns-Wright.
Listen to the full interview here.
You may have heard of Dry January or Sober October, but now a new trend on TikTok is bringing new light to maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Although not a new idea, it's called the "damp" lifestyle. The damp lifestyle involves strategies to cut down on alcohol intake without doing away with drinking entirely.
On this week's edition of Weekend Insight, Jerry Clayton talks about the damp lifestyle with Dr. Curtis Bone, a board-certified addiction medicine physician and an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Psychiatry at UT Health, San Antonio.
Clayton: This so-called damp lifestyle may not be for everyone. Who would best be suited for this kind of behavioral change?
Bone: Cutting down on alcohol use is similar to cutting down on cigarettes and [eating] unhealthy food. It's going to benefit people that engage with those things. And the people that are heavily engaged with them have the most to gain by making changes. So heavy alcohol use is a level that increases likelihood of problems.
According to The NIAAA [heavy drinking] involves five or more standard drinks per day, or 15 more drinks per week for a man and for a woman four or more drinks per day, or eight or more drinks per week.
So, people that are drinking near or above those levels or even at lower levels that want to improve their sleep quality, enhance energy, optimize their body composition or cognitive performance, and reduce risk of liver disease, heart failure, depression, motor vehicle accidents, and all the other issues that ride along with alcohol can all benefit from transitioning to lower levels of use.
Limiting ourselves can provide noticeable benefits pretty quickly.
Clayton: What type of person would not be suited to the damp lifestyle?
Bone: You know, it's important to realize not everyone has the same physiology or life circumstances. So, there are various biological, psychological and social issues that might make even low levels of alcohol use unsafe for someone. Someone with an underlying liver condition, people who take medications that have dangerous interactions with alcohol, like opioids, for example, people who are pregnant or become pregnant.
And then people that are planning to drive or do something that requires a high level of coordination. They could have a really unfortunate consequence, even with low levels of alcohol exposure. Folks with mental illness like depression, people with impulse control issues, or a substance use disorder, someone that's lost control can be triggered by low levels of alcohol.
Clayton: What are some easy ways to think about how to cut back your alcohol intake?
Bone: One of the first questions I ask my patients is what they love because the best way to change behavior is to set attainable goals and then plan a process to achieve them that's safe, enjoyable and aligns with their big picture goals in life. Avoiding a sense of deprivation is another key, which may be, honestly, one of the reasons why the idea of a low risk or low risk drinking, or damp drinking is appealing to people.
So, we set a goal and then I advise people to make a list of the things they love doing and go to that list for alternatives to alcohol in moments of tension when they have an urge to drink but really don't want to drink.
And then if there are situations that create tension like a social gathering, or an event that someone wants to attend, that's going to involve alcohol, a lot of people explore mocktails. They'll set a timer, so they won't have to think about when they'll have a next drink or focus on a separate health goal during that time, like increasing water intake.
Clayton: What advice do you have for people who are having a really hard time cutting back on their alcohol intake?
Bone People try to reduce use and struggle with that. They should realize they're not alone. It's more common than they might imagine. And actually, more than 29 million people across the country struggle with alcohol, and there are a lot of avenues they can pursue for support. So, they can talk to a primary care doctor or get connected to an addiction medicine physician.
And we take a very individualized approach to helping people attain whatever goals they have for themselves. So, it's never too late to look for help, never too soon, though, to take a look at our lives and ask ourselves, you know, are the things that I'm doing just giving me what I want or are they giving me what I really want?
We want folks to really get what they're after in life and make sure alcohol's not holding them back.
View the full K-SAT interview here.
Moms who lost children started the walk, which is now bringing hundreds to Brooks City Base
SAN ANTONIO – It’s the first of its kind in San Antonio — a walk to remember those lost to fentanyl poisoning and a rally to stop it from happening.
KSAT has introduced viewers to the local mothers who lost children and, in turn, planned this event in the name of one of those children. The organization is called Forever 17, Danica’s Foundation.
Now, the focus is on the leading recovery experts speaking on Saturday, intending to make big changes with education and breaking the stigma.
“Substance use disorders can happen to anyone. This is a phenomenon that happens in my family. I am well aware of that. I am one of the lucky people because I have not lost a person,” said Dr. Jennifer Potter, the vice president of research for UT Health San Antonio, and executive director of its Be Well Texas program.
Dr. Potter is a renowned expert on substance use disorder, but she also understands it on a personal level.
“Moms and parents shouldn’t be the ones having to raise awareness. Our system needs to do better. Parents who are grieving should be able to grieve,” Potter said.
At Saturday’s Soles Walking for Souls event, Potter will speak on behalf of Be Well Texas, the UT Health San Antonio program offering science-based recovery options across the state.
Be Well Texas offers a long list of resources, regardless of a client’s ability to pay.
As the executive director and vice president of research, Potter is laser-focused on education for the community as well as those with substance use disorder.
“There is a poisoned drug supply right now in Texas. That if they’re using a substance and they don’t know where they got it from, that substance likely contains fentanyl,” she said.
Once people understand the problem, they can talk more openly about it.
“Stigma kills. We know people do not seek or ask for help because they are afraid of the consequences of asking for help, and that can end their life,” Potter said.
It’s also about knowing the options for prevention.
“The importance of fentanyl test strips, and everyone should be carrying naloxone,” Potter said.
Be Well Texas partners with 140 organizations across the state. Locally, a big one of those is the San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Awareness, or SACADA.
“One pill can kill. People need to know that, and they’re taking a gamble with their life,” said SACADA CEO Abby Gilmore.
SACADA provides free and confidential support to people with substance use disorder and their families.
“Help a family walk through the process. Do they need treatment? Do they need medication? Do they need a residential place to be? Whatever the family needs in regards to opioid use, we are there to meet them there and help,” Gilmore said.
SACADA also works closely with kids.
“We go to schools, and we do presentations. We work with kids long term the whole semester, provide education to young people -- elementary, middle and high school. We work with colleges and universities,” Gilmore said.
The goal is to prevent deaths in the next generation.
Gilmore echoed Potter in emphasizing the importance of carrying naloxone, with the brand name Narcan, that can reverse an opioid overdose.
“We encourage families to purchase it or call us for free Narcan. These medications can be bought now over the counter or can be even received from our agency at no charge,” Gilmore said.
Both experts are thrilled that Saturday’s event will include naloxone training.
“At the event, we want to celebrate that we are a community that wants to do prevention. How do we prevent losing lives at all ages, at all stages?” Gilmore said
Potter said it boils down to honesty about gaps in the system and true collaboration.
“That involves schools, that involves Be Well Texas, SACADA, everyone. There are a lot of isolated programs doing good work. But if we don’t talk about the fact that there are gaps in the system, we are going to continue to lose lives. Get everybody in the same room and focus on solving the problems collectively and collaboratively,” she said.
Potter and Gilmore said Saturday’s event is a good place to start.
The Soles Walking for Souls Fentanyl Awareness Walk is Saturday, October 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Greenline on Brooks City Base.
There will be federal, state, and local government officials, food vendors, naloxone training, a mile walk, and a candlelight vigil.
KSAT’s Courtney Friedman will be emceeing the event.
Head to the Soles Walking for Souls website or the KSAT Community page to register.
If you or someone you love is suffering with substance use disorder, there are cost friendly and even free options:
The number for Be Well Texas is (888) 85-BEWELL or (888) 852-3955.
To get resources from SACADA, call (210) 225-4741.
The battle against drug addiction is an ongoing struggle in the United States, with various strategies employed across the nation to combat this crisis. Texas, in particular, is taking a unique approach in its efforts to aid recovery by using unconventional ‘harm reduction’ strategies. The state has been granted an $800,000 award from the Biden administration to further these efforts. However, the strategies used by the drug recovery groups in Texas have sparked a heated debate.
Interestingly, one aspect of the harm reduction approach employed by the drug recovery groups in Texas includes the distribution of crack pipes. The intention behind this strategy is harm reduction rather than active encouragement of drug use. The essential idea is to provide a safer means for those who are unable to abstain from drug use, hence reducing the risk of injury or transmission of diseases.
While this approach is seen by some as a realistic and pragmatic method in dealing with drug addiction, others view it as a controversial move that may inadvertently promote drug use. This has led to a significant debate on the effectiveness and morality of such an approach.
In addition to harm reduction strategies, Texas is also focusing on providing support for recovery housing. The Be Well Texas program, run by UT Health San Antonio, has been awarded a three-year $3.4 million grant. This grant aims to support recovery housing statewide for young adults aged 18 to 25 who are undergoing treatment and recovery.
The funding will be used to expand access to 16 existing housing providers, providing more than 40 houses and 440 beds across the state. The recovery houses aim to provide a safe, supportive environment for those seeking long-term recovery from substance use disorders. The hope is that by meeting the housing needs of these young adults, they can focus on other aspects of their recovery and overall well-being.
Beyond the strategies employed by recovery groups, research is also being conducted at a university level to better understand and treat addiction. The University of Texas at Austin is part of an international research coalition aiming to find improved treatments for alcohol addiction. This includes studying the genetic aspect of alcoholism and exploring additional treatment options.
The ongoing drug addiction crisis underscores the importance of innovative and sustainable recovery measures. While unconventional strategies such as the distribution of crack pipes may be controversial, they reflect the desperate need for new approaches to combat the high rates of drug addiction.
Meanwhile, initiatives like the recovery housing program offer a more traditional approach to aid recovery, focusing on providing a stable living environment to support long-term recovery. As research continues into the causes and treatments of addiction, it is clear that a multifaceted approach is necessary to effectively address this complex issue.
