Hays County, Texas – In April 2023, a Hays County woman survived a fentanyl overdose. She was in the grip of an addiction that nearly killed her. Today, she credits a program called Neighborhood Defender Services for her sobriety.
Meghan Callahan said April 26, 2023 was the day that changed her life forever.
“I don’t remember anything other than waking up the first responders around me and I really had no idea what had happened,” Callahan said.
Callahan overdosed on fentanyl. EMS administered four doses of Narcan and saved her life.
“When I came in, and I really got my senses about myself in that jail cell, I was grateful to even be in a jail cell, it gave me a new lease on life,” Callahan said.
Accidental drug overdose in Travis County
The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office released its 2023 annual report showing that 279 people died from fentanyl overdoses.
Callahan was in jail and charged with multiple felonies for possession. Police said marijuana was in plain view, and they also found several other types of drugs. Two children, both under the age of five, were just feet away and being cared for by a roommate.
“Kids don’t deserve to be wrapped up in that world,” Callahan said.
Callahan said she was turned away. She is a recovering alcoholic and, at the time, blames herself for trying to recover alone.
“Even though it’s self-medication, I was trying to treat my alcoholism with the studies that were done with ketamine and microdosing mushrooms and I thought that would help me as well as the CBD and cannabis that I found, I thought it helped me honestly. will help with postpartum depression,” Callahan said.
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It almost cost her her life.
“You can’t really fix yourself; you have to go out into the community and professionals to get help,” Callahan said.
Callahan was given that opportunity. She was represented by an attorney Neighborhood Defender ServiceEspecially for Hays County.
“We try to help the client rather than just trying to help the case,” said Neighborhood Defender Service Texas Minu Walters.
Fentanyl deaths on the rise in Travis Co.: report
According to the 2023 Medical Examiner’s Report, the number of fentanyl-related deaths in Travis County continues to rise.
NDS staff are handling about 25 percent of all cases in Hays County through 2023. Walters said he uses a holistic, team-based model of defense, which includes not just lawyers, but social workers, client advocates and investigators.
“What we can try to work on is creating and identifying community-based options for people so that if we can come in and get people the help they need outside of the system, maybe the system isn’t what they rely on for help. keeps,” Walters said.
“I had a whole team around me to really help me get better,” Callahan said.
The judge gave her another chance. All of Callahan’s charges were dismissed. He is now healthy and wants to help others.
“I want to give hope to people who are in active addiction or who love people who know that there is a solution and that we have a great team waiting to help,” Callahan said.
She encourages people to ask for help because she said there is a wonderful life on the other side.