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Community initiative to fight opioid addiction
FOX 13's Briona Arradondo reports.
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. - Painkillers are at the center of the nation’s opioid crisis, and Florida received a $3 billion settlement a few years ago from manufacturers, distributors and dispensers of opioids.
What we know:
That money is going back into our communities to fight addiction, with the latest part of that work involving the Pasco County Opioid Taskforce and University of South Florida.
Pills became a problem in Pasco County around 2017.
"We have been able to shift the tide a little bit," said Paula Baracaldo, the chair of the Pasco County Opioid Taskforce.
In the last five years, the number of overdoses landing people in the emergency room may have dropped in Pasco, but the overdoses and addiction to painkillers remain.
"It's not a quick fix. And it takes years, if not generations, for us to be able to see progress," said Baracaldo.
Why you should care:
The Pasco County Opioid Taskforce is partnering with the University of South Florida to remove barriers, meeting local residents this week and next. They will share presentations to find out where access currently stands.
"What do people experience in the school system? You know, people who have called a crisis line, right? Like, are they getting the experience and the services that they need?" said Abby Shockley, the director of the Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center at the University of South Florida.
Shockley is taking notes to write up a new analysis for Pasco County on where they should focus efforts.
The backstory:
It is all a part of a $3 billion opioid settlement to the state of Florida. In fiscal year 2024-2025, Pasco County received about $8 million to make changes.
"They've made quite a few and actually used their abatement dollars to open one of the state's first behavioral health urgent cares in the last year. And that has been so successful that it's actually expanding," said Shockley.
There’s more work to do though in the large county, including improvements to transportation between cities and rural areas.
"We want to make sure that the dollars that will be spent in future rounds are spent in a strategic manner," said Baracaldo.
By the numbers:
According to Florida Health in 2024, there were 2,549 non-fatal overdoses in Pasco County, 206 fatal overdoses, and naloxone was administered 1,252 times. The number of prescriptions stayed relatively steady, totaling more than 335,000 in 2024.
"We just want people to know that there's a place for them at the table to provide their feedback. Even if it's not something they do professionally, they may have a family member, a friend, right?" Shockley said.
Leaders said the issue concerns everyone, and they want to make sure the investments go where they're needed.
What's next:
USF said they will host two more public meetings to listen to residents on March 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Zephyrhills City Hall and on April 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center.
There is also an online survey open through April for community participation of Pasco residents.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered through interviews with USF and the Pasco County Opioid Taskforce.