Fentanyl Testing Strips being distributed to law enforcement agencies

Published on April 27, 2023

The Weld County Board of Commissioners approved a contract allowing the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) to be the designated agency for the distribution of Fentanyl Test Strips (FTS) throughout the county as part of a multi-faceted approach to combat drug overdoses.

The Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Act, passed by the state in 2022, allocated $600,000 to make the drug checking test strips available at no cost across Colorado. The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) sought out the assistance and cooperation of county health departments to help more local agencies access the Fentanyl Test Strip (FTS) as an overdose prevention tool.

The WCDPHE researched the state initiative following direct contacts from representatives from the University of Northern Colorado who were aware of the state program and expressed their interest in obtaining the free test strips via their local public health agency. Jason Chessher, the director of WCDPHE anticipates ordering 2,500 FTS to distribute to the local police departments in Nunn and Firestone and at the University of Northern Colorado, who have specifically requested the test strips.

“Our interest in this initiative is not to be a direct source for the individual end-user of the test strip, but to be a resource and provide support to our community partners,” said Chessher, clarifying the county’s role in the program. “We will be responsible for receiving and distributing shipments, providing education and technical assistance as needed, and providing quarterly reports regarding the number of FTS distributed.”

Nationally, 107,375 Americans died of drug overdoses and drug poisonings in a 12-month period ending in January 2022, more than gun and auto-related deaths combined. Of the more than 100,000 deaths, 67% involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. According to CDPHE's Drug Overdose Dashboard, 1,881 Coloradoans died due to overdoses in 2021 and at least 912 of those deaths were due to fentanyl. Since 2001, half of all fatal overdoses in Weld County involved opioids.

There is no budget associated with this contract; county health departments can access these FTS at no-cost.