Overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.
Opioids refer to pain relieving drugs, which can be prescribed by a doctor under common names like codeine and Percocet, but also also found on the streets in the form of heroin or fentanyl.
Last fall, the Trump administration declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.
With the national conversation shifting to solutions for addressing the problem, how are Texans affected by the opioid crisis?
Bexar County has the third highest rate of overdose deaths per capita in Texas behind Dallas and Harris counties and leads the state in the number of newborns suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms.
What evidence-based treatments are available in Bexar County and how can those affected seek help?
UT Health San Antonio is hosting the San Antonio Substance Use Symposium on April 20 and 21. The event is free and open to the public.
Guests:
- Abigail Moore, CEO of the San Antonio Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
- Josh Green, Youth Recovery Community Center Coordinator and Peer Recovery Leader at Rise Recovery
- Dr. Jennifer Potter, professor of psychiatry and associate dean for research in the School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
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