  NEWS RELEASE Texas Health and Human Services Commission Cecile Erwin Young HHS Executive Commissioner Date: Jan. 7, 2021 Contact: Elliott Sprehe, 512-462-6350 Elliott.Sprehe@hhs.texas.gov Texas Launches Opioid Misuse Prevention Website to Fight Addiction, Overdoses AUSTIN – Texas Health and Human Services is launching a new website featuring videos, the latest information and helpful resources to promote Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR), which is a statewide public health effort to fight against opioid addiction and overdose. The new website, TXopioidresponse.org, is available in English and Spanish and provides tips for safe opioid use, as well as information about the dangers of misusing prescription opioid medications. “One in five Texans has experienced an opioid overdose or know someone who has,” said Kasey Strey, TTOR Director at Texas Health and Human Services Commission. “We are dedicated to preventing prescription opioid misuse, overdoses and opioid use disorder. With awareness of the risks and how to take medications safely, Texans can prevent opioid misuse and help put an end to the opioid crisis.” Every day, 128 people in the United States die after an overdose involving either prescription or illicit opioids, such as heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, nearly 80% of people who use heroin report misusing prescription opioids beforehand. Information available on TXopioidresponse.org promotes understanding of what opioid medications are, how they affect the body, how misuse can lead to dangerous side effects and how to safely manage pain. To learn more, visit TXOpioidResponse.org. About Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR) Texas Targeted Opioid Response is a public health initiative operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) through federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). TTOR projects take on the opioid crisis by expanding access to prevention, early intervention, and treatment, along with providing long term recovery support to Texans with opioid use disorder. |
