Detroit Launches Quick Response Team to Combat Opioid Crisis

City leaders join FAN leadership and the Detroit Quick Response Team to celebrate the successful launch of the program (Image Courtesy of City of Detroit) The City of Detroit recently launched a bold new program to combat the escalating opioid overdose crisis that claimed 430 lives in 2023 alone. With Naloxone, a life-saving medication administered 2,400 times last year by the Detroit Fire Department, city leaders, including Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison and Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms, aim to provide critical support for overdose survivors. This initiative addresses a growing challenge, as many individuals saved by Naloxone refuse hospital care, leaving them vulnerable to future crises without access to ongoing treatment. In response to the opioid crisis, the City of Detroit began the Detroit Quick Response Team (QRT) on September 16th. This team will follow up with people who have been treated for suspected opioid overdoses to assess their needs and help connect them to treatment if they’re willing. The team will also help remove barriers to other services, such as housing, food assistance, and employment support, to reduce the risk of overdose. Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison has spent his entire career in public service. He is excited about the...