Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Overdose Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riverside County says fentanyl deaths fell in 2024 after multiagency response; board accepts report
Summary
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors accepted a report from its Fentanyl Ad Hoc Committee that officials said shows a reversal in rising fentanyl and overall overdose deaths, while outlining prevention, treatment and law enforcement steps the county has taken.
Riverside County supervisors on Tuesday accepted a yearlong report from the county's Fentanyl Ad Hoc Committee and were told local overdose deaths from fentanyl declined in 2024.
The committee's leader told the board the county recorded 328 fentanyl deaths in 2024 and 617 total overdose deaths for the year, figures described as the lowest counts since 2020 and 2019 respectively. "The work, to put it simply is working," the committee leader said, urging continued multidisciplinary efforts.
Why it matters: County officials said the decline follows an effort to coordinate law enforcement, behavioral health, emergency response, public education and data-sharing. Board members described the changes as evidence the county's combined approach is slowing the rise in fatal overdoses.
What the report said: The Fentanyl Ad Hoc Committee, created in 2021, formed subcommittees on education and awareness, law enforcement, addiction treatment, emergency medical response, funding and data collection. Staff said the county partnered with the Riverside County Office of Education to develop a fentanyl and opioid awareness curriculum that county staff expect to deploy later this year.
The report highlighted law-enforcement prosecutions, expanded treatment and distribution of naloxone (Narcan) for first responders and a "leave-behind" Narcan program that places naloxone in the field for reuse or distribution. The committee also cited a countywide outreach effort and regional walks to raise awareness and link residents to services.
On the data, staff presented a review covering Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2024, showing a steady increase in overdose deaths through earlier years followed by the reported reductions in 2024. The committee leader said the county had "reversed the curve in Riverside County." That presentation was followed by a board vote approving the committee's recommendations as presented.
What the board did next: The board approved item 2.13 "as recommended," recorded as a 5-0 vote.
Details and caveats: County staff and the committee repeatedly emphasized that the reductions do not mean the problem is solved. Officials said 328 fentanyl deaths remain "328 too many" and urged continued investment in prevention, treatment and first-responder tools. The committee also noted similar reductions in other jurisdictions but said Riverside County has seen larger declines.
What's next: Committee staff and board members said next steps include implementation of the school curriculum, continued distribution and tracking of leave-behind naloxone, and sustained cross-departmental coordination.
