Published: 04/30/2026 | Author: Terri

For the first time in nearly a decade, opioid deaths are falling in Travis County, and public health officials say expanded access to naloxone (Narcan) is the primary reason. Drug-related deaths in the county dropped 22% from 2023 to 2024, and fatalities involving fentanyl fell by 36%. 

Travis County is home to a wide range of rehab services for drug addictions, from Narcotics Anonymous community meetings to modern inpatient hospitals. As with many counties in Texas, local and state officials have collaborated tirelessly to drive the death rate down, and these numbers show it. 

But advocates warn the progress is fragile, with federal funding cuts threatening to undo what took years to build.

The Opioid Crisis Hits Travis County

Travis County’s opioid crisis has been among the worst in the Lone Star State for years. The county’s seat and state capital, Austin, saw its peak of overdoses in mid-2023. And make no mistake, overdose deaths have remained the leading cause of accidental death in Travis County, ahead of both falls and motor vehicle accidents.

In January 2024, Austin-Travis County EMS averaged just over 100 opioid calls per month. By the next year, that number had dropped to about 50. A 50% drop occurred inside a single year.

Since 2022, Travis County has spent nearly $5 million on tackling the opioid overdose crisis and distributed more than 36,000 doses of Narcan to the community.

Driving the Decline in Opioid Deaths

Officials state clearly that opioid abuse hasn’t disappeared, but more people survive overdoses because the tools to reverse them are now within reach.

Officials noted this doesn’t necessarily mean fewer drugs are on the streets or that drug use itself is declining. Rather, mitigation methods reach more people.

EMS Division Chief Angela Carr said the availability of naloxone has been crucial, noting an increase of people administering Narcan prior to EMS arrival, which she called “instrumental” in affecting the death rate. 

Central Health, a nonprofit working with Travis County, is now expanding its fleet of naloxone distribution units, including to college campuses. The organization announced it will add 13 more Narcan distribution units to its existing 32, with all new sites ready by September. Officials plan to place four new units inside the Travis County Jail.

Fentanyl’s Role in the Austin Opioid Epidemic

Fentanyl has been the dominant driver of opioid deaths in Travis County throughout the crisis. The 2024 medical examiner’s report was a stark contrast to the prior year’s findings, which revealed the highest rate of accidental overdoses ever recorded in Travis County.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50-100x more potent than morphine. It contaminates the illicit drug supply broadly, including pills, heroin, and even stimulants like cocaine. This means people with any substance use disorder face fentanyl exposure risk. Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication approved by the FDA that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses and is available without a prescription in most states, including Texas.

Experts recommend that everyone learn to recognize overdose signs, such as small pupils, decreased responsiveness, and slow or absent breathing. Anyone who finds someone showing those signs should use naloxone immediately and call 911, since fatal opioids typically last longer than a single dose of intranasal naloxone.

Opioid Settlement Funding & the Federal Threat

Much of the progress in Travis County is financed by legal settlements with opioid manufacturers. Settlements from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to fund Narcan doses and install the distribution units.

But that funding stream faces serious risk. Many nonprofits rely on COVID-19 era federal grants that might disappear after the Trump administration announced plans to cut $11.4 billion in addiction and mental health services. Texas Harm Reduction Alliance Executive Director Maggie Luna warned that without sustained investment, the progress made in lowering fatal drug overdoses could be at risk. 

Treatment Options and NA Meetings in Austin

Recovery from opioid addiction requires more than surviving an overdose. Travis County has invested in a range of treatment pathways alongside its harm reduction work. The county has launched public education campaigns and trained 1,000+ community members to recognize and respond to overdoses.

Austin-Travis County EMS has also emphasized a buprenorphine bridge program as a way of helping people by connecting those who survive an overdose with medication-assisted treatment before they leave EMS care.

For those seeking peer support, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings remain a cornerstone of long-term recovery from opioid and narcotic addiction. NA meetings in the Austin and Travis County area are available daily, in-person and online, for anyone ready to take the next step.

Perhaps best of all, NA meetings are peer-led. You meet with others in your community who have the same experiences and backgrounds, and camaraderie forms for life-long support and fellowship. Our directory has a comprehensive list of NA meetings across the county, or feel free to call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak to an expert.