TXST FESTA program tackles the local fentanyl issue

By Saige Klein

 Blog Content Contributor 

TXST Fentanyl Education, Support Training, and Awareness program is leading the way to help tackle accidental poisonings.  

With fentanyl usage at an all-time high, researchers here at TXST are using a $1.8 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help produce solutions for this Fentanyl epidemic.  

Through this research, the Fentanyl Education, Support Training, and Awareness program (FESTA) was created by TXST faculty with the goal to help combat the misuse of Fentanyl and create better resources for local schools and communities within Hays County to stop accidental poisonings.  

Hays County has been personally affected by this issue. Since Jan. 2022, there have been 70 accidental fentanyl poisonings, 40% of those people being under the age of 18.

Out of those 70, eight students attending high schools in Hays County have lost their lives.  

Due to Tucker’s Law, it’s required in the state of Texas to introduce a week every school year about the dangers that come with fentanyl and risks of fentanyl poisoning. This law also states that every school district should provide researched- based instruction related to fentanyl abuse prevention.  

One of the founding members, Kelly Clary, Ph. D, Assistant Professor for the School of Social work here at TXST, has been a huge advocate for this program, wanting to connect and collaborate with local communities and schools.  

“Knowing that there is this problem in Hays County, and also there is this mandate for schools to do work on this topic, I think it made sense for us to partner with these schools to help them do that work,” Clary said. 

 “Because a lot of the time schools have so many things that they are doing already, that they don’t have the extra manpower or time to dedicate effort and time to do this work.” 

In efforts with Tucker’s Law, one of the key objectives of the FESTA program is to collaborate with local schools to help implement substance abuse educational programming.  This program not only brings awareness to these issues of campus but allows local schools within Hays County to spread light to younger audiences.   

“Our hope, our goal is because of the education we are providing, because of the awareness we are bringing to it, and the outreach we are doing, we will reduce the likelihood of another accidental fentanyl poisoning happening in Hays County, during these five years, and also beyond,” Clary said. 

With these efforts, FESTA has been able to assist schools in Wimberley ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, and are hoping to help support Hays and San Marcos ISD in the near future.  

With many positive efforts, there still comes challenges.  

One of the main challenges that FESTA has faced is erasing the stigma. Like many drugs, fentanyl can be a very taboo and closed off topic. Many people don’t want to hear or think about it as it usually doesn’t affect them.  

While in most cases this isn’t a big problem, being closed off can lead to lack of awareness and education of a topic that could affect anyone and be the difference in life or death. 

FESTA has been able to partner with Hill Country MHDD, Cenikor, Texas Icon, and Hays County Sheriff’s Office to put on Narcan training events. They put on two training events in the fall with 40 people in attendance. 

FESTA will be doing an online presentation on Feb. 14th through the Translational Health Research Center. It will be a one-hour slideshow presentation about the FESTA program with ways to get involved and learn more about this topic.  

Furthermore, FESTA is actively working to educate and collaborate with many different and diverse communities in the area. For more resources and information about upcoming events, visit FESTA.