opioids

Drug overdose and alcohol poisoning deaths that involved fentanyl have fallen by about 100 so far since last year.

A poison control specialist talks about how the hotline operates, and about the opioid abuse in Dallas County that led to its creation.

Residents and health care providers can call 214-590-4000 to speak to specialists with the North Texas Poison Center through a county partnership to address opioid overdoses.

At least six local nonprofit organizations could get funding from Dallas County to help fight the opioid crisis — up to $500,000 each over the next two years.

Stephanie Hellstern fondly remembers her son, Kyle Shane Sexton, as a great 16-year-old kid. But he’d begun getting into trouble at school and trying drugs.

The Hall of Famer has teamed up with NARCAN in a campaign to spread awareness and save lives.

Dallas County is also drawing up a plan for how to use millions it's receiving as a share of what Texas is receiving from drug companies and pharmacies.

The dashboard tracks fatalities related to the powerful, synthetic opioid dating back to 2014 and compares those to overall drug deaths in Texas.

Massive lawsuits against opioid distributors and manufacturers have brought billions in settlement money to states, counties and cities affected by the opioid crisis.

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office announced that the state is signing on to the $5 billion proposed settlement but hasn’t yet disclosed how its share of the money would be spent if the deal is finalized.

While not detailing how the distribution might be funded, Abbott said the medication, Narcan, should be distributed to law enforcement agencies as well as some hospitals and schools.

The state’s federally funded “More Narcan Please” program ran out of money in January, in part due to high demand. Advocates say Texas should invest more in the harm reduction effort.