Kansas City to hire ‘overdose investigators’ to keep more people from dying of fentanyl

Kansas City will soon hire two “overdose investigators,” as part of its health department, in an attempt to reduce fentanyl deaths and stem what leaders say is a crisis threatening to spin out of control.

A new ordinance, proposed by Mayor Quinton Lucas and passed unanimously by the City Council Thursday afternoon, not only authorizes the new investigators, but requires overdoses to be reported within one calendar day. It also creates an overdose fatality review board.

That board will analyze real-time data to more quickly understand the devastation fentanyl is causing in the community and help get services for those using the illicit drug. Currently, the health department is working with overdose data that is up to 2 years old.

“This will position us in an ideal situation to reduce the harm that this epidemic is causing throughout the community,” said Dr. Alex Francisco, the health department’s chief science officer, during a news conference prior to the council meeting. “And using this information, we’ll be able to be there when these folks are ready to receive the treatment that they can in order to end their substance use.”

In that news conference, Lucas announced a public education campaign regarding the synthetic opioid, including teaching people about naloxone, often referred to by its brand name Narcan, a medication that reverses the effects of fentanyl. The mayor also said he plans to have a summit by the end of the year to discuss the rise of fentanyl with area leaders. Included in the summit will be Kansas City police, the health department and “community partners,” Lucas said.

He quickly made a case for why these actions are needed.

“Overdose deaths are at an epidemic level in Kansas City and fentanyl is driving the epidemic,” he told reporters Thursday. “Overdose death numbers surpassed our homicide numbers in 2021.

“And in 2022, there was only one day in Kansas City without a suspected overdose in city emergency rooms. Again, only one day in 2022 without a suspected overdose in a Kansas City emergency room.”

People from all pockets of the city and all walks of life are dying from the illicit drug. From 2017 to 2021, Kansas City saw a nearly 1,000% increase in overdose deaths.

Lucas’ campaign comes as The Star continues to publish its ongoing investigation of the toll fentanyl has taken, revealing that more than 850 people in the nine-county region have died from the drug since 2018. Of that number, roughly 360 died in Jackson County, according to information provided by the medical examiner’s office in an open records request.

Also included in the number of fatalities are seven young children, ages 2 and under, who died in Jackson County last year. Unlike other drug crises, including crack, these children aren’t suffering from debilitating addictions because their parents were using; they are dying of actual fentanyl overdoses.

These seven children — the youngest was 10 months old — were exposed to fentanyl in homes and inside hotel rooms. In both Missouri and Kansas the past three years, dozens of children 4 and under died from fentanyl.

Prior to 2017, Francisco said fentanyl deaths in Kansas City were rare.

“The total number of fentanyl deaths bounced up and down between five and six, total, each year,” he said. “In 2021, it was 72 — it was about 40% of all overdose deaths in total. And so I would 100% say that we are in a crisis. And if we don’t get ahead of the curve, it is going to get worse.”

So many of those who have died in the Kansas City area didn’t know they were taking fentanyl. Sometimes they thought it was a pain pill or anti-anxiety medication. Other times, drugs such as heroin, meth or cocaine were believed to be laced with the powerful synthetic opioid.

Over the last year, KC police have recovered more than 61,000 grams of fentanyl, said Sgt. Aaron Benson, of KCPD’s drug investigation squad.

“And that can be equivalent to potentially millions of lethal doses on our streets with a value of about $8.2 million,” Benson said.

Some families who have lost loved ones contacted Lucas after hearing about the new proposal — especially the creation of the overdose fatality review board.

“I’ve been asked by a few different families that have been touched by the fentanyl crisis, ‘What role do victims play? What role do families play?’” Lucas said Thursday. “For us, we believe those are important ones that they will serve. Our Overdose Fatality Review Board includes space for those who have been touched by this crisis.”

After three years of rising fentanyl deaths throughout Kansas City, Lucas acknowledged that without timely overdose data it’s easy to feel behind in the fight. But with the new initiatives, he said, the city and its leaders are taking on the battle now.

“A lot of major American cities and a lot of our country, frankly, is behind,” Lucas said. “I would have loved to have been ahead. We would have loved to throw out policies and plans that help address (fentanyl).

“But I think this is us taking a step.”