In just two years, Gov. DeSantis says a new program has helped save lives in the fight against the opioid epidemic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County is among the top 10 counties in Florida with the highest deadly overdose rate.

But Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week that the state is making strides with a relatively new program that was started in 2022.

And now, DeSantis is expanding it to help fight against the opioid epidemic and increase outreach.

MORE: Gov. DeSantis says opioid overdose deaths in Florida are decreasing

When an overdose call comes into 911, first responders like Captain Lawrence Mack with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue are on the scene to help.

“First and foremost scene safety is one of our biggest issues so we have to make sure that our personnel are protected at all times and then we move into mitigating the situation,” Mack said.

Now there’s more protection for first responders at scenes after Desantis signed Senate Bill 718 into law on Monday.

“So this is nasty stuff and you have situations where when law enforcement personnel are responding to these situations that fentanyl may be involved in they really are putting themselves at risk,” DeSantis said.

The new law focuses on people being reckless with drugs in a specific way.

“This Bill 718 provides that any adult who through unlawful possession of dangerous fentanyl or analogs exposes any first responder to fentanyl that results in overdose or serious bodily injury that we are going to prosecute you as a second-degree felon for doing that,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis is also expanding a program called CORE Network. It’s currently in Flagler, Clay and Duval counties among nine others. DeSantis said its showing proof of lower overdose calls in Duval County.

Now the program is expanding to 17 more counties including Miami-Dade and Hillsborough.

CORE calls itself a first of its kind in the country, working with the Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Agency for Health Care Administration, while working to reduce addiction among Floridians. The network aims to eliminate the stigma of addiction and treat substance use disorder as a disease, with the same level of continuous care. Floridians battling with addiction can utilize CORE for stabilization and to receive medication-assisted treatment from a network of specialized medical experts that will help guide them on a sustained pathway to healthy success.

CORE providers have responded to nearly 18,000 emergency calls which resulted in a life saved through the administration of naloxone.

(To find help and resources, please visit the CORE Network website by clicking here.)