EL PASO COUNTY OPIOID RECOVERY PROGRAM

El Paso County is the westernmost urban county in the State of Texas with a population of 868,763 (2022 Census), making it the ninth-most populous county in the state. El Paso County is bordered to the west by New Mexico State and shares an international border with Mexico. El Paso County comprises 4 cities, 2 towns, 1 village, one Native American Indian reservation (Tigua), and one military base (Ft. Bliss). Countrywide, the population is about 91% white (which includes 81% white-Hispanic and 10% white non-Hispanic), 4.4% black, and 1.5% Asian. According to Data USA, 19.5% of El Paso County’s population lives below the poverty line, which is higher than the national average of 12.5%. According to the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), nearly 65% of El Paso County is considered a Justice40 disadvantaged community.  
 
People who live in poverty, lack health insurance, and   recently incarcerated, are more likely to die from an opioid overdose.  Due to these factors, the opioid epidemic continues to be a concern in the El Paso area. According to data from the El Paso County Medical Examiner, fentanyl-related deaths have increased every year, rising from 4 deaths in 2015 to 80 deaths in 2022. The rate increased 150% from 2019 to 2020. Since 2020, Fentanyl has become the leading drug resulting in overdose death in El Paso.  
 
The El Paso County Criminal Justice Department (CJC) is pleased to submit this grant application under Category 1a, to support our Justice and Recovery Support Initiative. This comprehensive program is designed to address the intersecting challenges faced by justice-involved individuals, particularly those affected by substance abuse, in the context of the opioid epidemic. Our initiative leverages grant funding to provide resources or funding to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to train, employ, and provide focused peer support and rehabilitation services to individuals addicted to opioids.