Budget cuts could affect Missouri overdose response

MISSOURI(KBSI) – Missouri’s effort to combat drug overdoses could soon see new challenges due to proposed federal budget cuts to key programs.

According to Trumps budget proposal budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services could affect overdose rates.

According to leaked documents the area that would see cuts would affect the program MO-CORP -The Missouri-Coordinating Overdose Response, Partnerships, & Support project, which gives first responders training and disperses naloxone in Missouri, a medicine used to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.

Missouri’s effort to combat drug overdoses could soon see new challenges due to proposed federal budget cuts to key programs.  

Greg Boal is the First Responder Training Coordinator for the Missouri Institute of Mental Health. He shares that funding cuts to programs like MO-CORP a program that provides overdose training and Narcan distribution would have impacts on not only overdoses but to first responders. Issues like the US fentanyl crisis makes overdose training detrimental to first responders.

“Missouri has been proposing what’s called a naloxone saturation public health strategy what this means is to make naloxone (what most people know as Narcan) to be able to be in the hands of as many people as possible and to be as close as physically possible to any overdose event in the state of Missouri and we’ve been very successful on this endeavor” says Boal.

In 2023 the Missouri overdose death rate dropped by 12% and then by more than 20% in 2024 .

Making Missouri one of the leading states in reducing overdose fatalities.

Boal says this is due to programs that provide training, awareness and Narcan distribution.

Boal believes that funding cuts would mean overdose related deaths would rise in Missouri.  

Katie Pogue is a Substance Use Specialist. She shares the influence that Narcan has played in her own life.

“Missouri’s fatal overdose rate has dropped significantly, and I’d like to say that’s because of programs like this. Even comparatively to other states. It’s been incredibly impactful in the state of Missouri. Not to mention I’m a person in long term recovery myself” says Pogue. “I have been Narcaned 11 times by first responders and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for first responders, their kindness, their passion and naloxone.”  

Any person needing free naloxone can find it here Get MO Naloxone.