Local Authorities Equipped with More Money and Tools
Trevor Phipps
Local communities, including Teller County, have jumped on the bandwagon in the fight against the opioid crisis, a battle that now is picking up momentum due to an infusion of more money and specific treatment programs.
And for the first time in months, more details are being released regarding the impacts for Teller County and nearby areas, resulting from an earlier court settlement that released millions of dollars to communities to battle this epidemic. In a recent meeting, Erik Stone, vice-chairman of the Teller County Commission, reported on a slew of programs aimed at dealing with the opioid problem at the local level. He also indicated that El Paso and Teller counties could reap the benefits of more than $30 million in assistance for various programs and treatment methods, aimed at battling the epidemic.
One fact, though, remains the same: The crisis is killing more people on a daily and hourly basis.
In fact, in the last several years, the opioid crisis across the United States has grown to alarming levels. According to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, more than 130 people per day die from opioid overdoses in the country, which equates to more than five people per hour.
Other numbers show that the opioid crisis has also plagued Colorado. In 2023, there were more than 1,200 drug overdose deaths in the state due to fentanyl with 59 percent of the cases coming from illegally manufactured versions of the drug. Locally, law enforcement officials have also reported an increase in incidents involving fentanyl with a number of arrests being made involving the drug over the last few years.
Due to a rise in opioid-related deaths, and a result of a court settlement reached with a number of drug-related companies, government officials have stepped up the fight against this epidemic. Only now, they have something lacking in previous efforts, money and available resources.
At their July 26 meeting, Teller County Commissioner Erik Stone used most of the time allotted for his regular report to discuss measures being taken by the Regent 16 Opioid Policy Council (which Stone serves as the board’s vice-chairman) to battle the state’s opioid crisis.
“We have funded almost $3 million worth of projects and programs related to the opioid crisis,” Stone said. “Most of those I agree with because they are new opportunities.”
Stone explained that one program that has recently been launched was to provide support for addicts who are incarcerated in jail. Through grants secured by the policy council, the El Paso County Jail is now equipped with more tools to help people who are addicted to opioids.
“They now have a supply of Suboxone to basically calm the urges of addiction without providing a high of any kind,” Stone said. “It’s not like methadone. It’s not a drug that induces a high but it is a drug that is very effective at curbing the desire to have drugs.”
People who struggle from opioids will have access to the drug while incarcerated and they will be given a small supply of Suboxone to last them for a week or two after they are released. Once they leave incarceration, the jail will also refer those struggling with addiction to counseling services to get further treatment.
Stone also discussed a new program to battle the opioid crisis that has been implemented by the Colorado Springs Fire Department and will be coming to fire departments in Teller County soon. Now, every time first responders show up for a call involving opioid use, the victims’ family members and people who are addicted will be handed off to counseling agencies for treatment.
According to Stone, the steps taken by local government agencies have come at a time where incidents involving opioid addiction are on the rise statewide with opioid overdoses accounting for 73 percent of all drug overdose deaths. “When it comes to overdose deaths in Colorado, there are three times as many people that die from drug overdoses than all of the violent crime deaths that occur in the state of Colorado,” Stone said. “One of the big gaps was how to help families of those who pass away from overdoses.”
The state is now working on programs that provides assistance for the loved ones of people who die from overdoses instead of just victims of crimes. The program will provide assistance in dealing with the incident as well as access to counseling services.
Stone also said that during the last meeting for the opioid policy council, a Denver-based organization called Full Circle, which offers a new version of a 12-step program for addicts, will most likely be applying for grants through the policy council to expand their services across southern Colorado.
The organization offers 12-step addiction treatment programs geared specifically towards youth and adolescents. Currently, their services are only offered in the Denver metro area, but they have plans to expand into both El Paso and Teller counties.
Stone talked about how adolescents in the program told the council how Full Circle has helped them by creating a community for younger people who struggle with addiction. Stone said that many of the 12-step programs that exist are filled with older members who might not necessarily have anything in common with younger people who are addicted.
“The director of Full Circle in Denver said that when it comes to helping adolescents recover from addiction, two things have to happen,” Stone explained. “For one, they have to want help. If they don’t want help you can’t help them. But, once they do want help, for younger people it has to be fun. And hanging out with older people in recovery is not fun.”
Stone said that he looks forward to an official proposal from Full Circle to apply for funds to expand to Teller County in the next few months. “The total amount of money that has currently been allocated to Teller and El Paso counties (to fight the opioid crisis) is now projected to be in excess of $30 million and there is more coming,” Stone said.
