Laredo coalition approves Narcan outreach, expands access and pursues referral tracking
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Summary
The Laredo Drug and Alcohol Coalition approved a plan to produce short social-media videos and expand Narcan (naloxone) access through dispensers and outreach, and discussed a referral-tracking pilot for people revived with Narcan; the motion to proceed passed with no nays recorded.
The Laredo Drug and Alcohol Coalition voted to move forward with a social-media and video outreach campaign this month to show residents how to access naloxone (Narcan) at cabinets, vending machines and dispensaries across the city. The chair (Speaker 1) made the motion to approve the outreach plan and the meeting record shows the motion passed with no recorded nays.
Members presented data on naloxone distribution for 2025 and argued that expanded visibility could help reduce overdose deaths. A staff presentation reported distributing 102 naloxone boxes in 2025 across dispensaries, vending locations, outreach events and cabinets; presenters gave a breakdown saying outreach events accounted for about 29.6% (379 units) while cabinets/stands accounted for about 42.5% (544 units). One presenter summarized the local trend: "So as we can see, it went down by more than half in 2025," noting a drop in local overdose calls from 454 to 233.
Coalition members discussed using short district-specific videos and posts to normalize Narcan use and to show how easy it is to retrieve a kit from a cabinet or vending machine. The motion directs the health department to coordinate distribution and to support video production; meeting participants said they will seek to involve council members and community partners in promotional materials to reduce stigma.
Members also debated a plan to track referrals for people revived with naloxone. Speaker 11 warned that many people survive overdoses but "slip through the cracks" without entering treatment and proposed a referral system that would let responders or outreach staff share limited follow-up information with treatment providers. Legal constraints on sharing incident-level data were raised: staff advised consulting the legal department and noted the need to confirm what is allowable under the local Samaritan law and privacy rules before any data-sharing. The group agreed to explore an interagency pilot, with OSAR and the health department coordinating referrals if counsel confirms it is permissible.
The coalition added planned distribution points, including a dispenser at TAMIU's tennis courts to improve student access, and asked staff to prepare details on quantities and logistics. The meeting record does not include a roll-call vote; the chair recorded the motion as passed and no nays were announced. The coalition said it will return with implementation details, legal guidance on data-sharing, and proposed outreach content at a future meeting.
