Texas Invests $21.2 Million in New Strategies to Combat Opioids: University of Houston Leads Major HIV–OUD Initiative

Texas is deepening its commitment to addressing the opioid crisis, and the University of Houston (UH) is emerging as a key leader in this statewide fight. As part of a $21.2 million initiative, the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC) has awarded 109 grants to organizations working on innovative solutions to reduce opioid-related harm and improve community health. These grants are funded directly through statewide opioid lawsuit settlements.

Ensuring Settlement Funds Drive Real Solutions

Established by the Texas Legislature in 2021, the OAFC ensures that money recovered from statewide opioid settlements is distributed fairly, transparently, and strategically. The goal is simple but critical: ensure funds are used efficiently to reduce opioid harm and support long-term recovery efforts across Texas communities.

A Closer Look at HIV and Opioid Use Disorder in Harris County

Among the funded projects, the University of Houston’s College of Pharmacy received one of the largest awards—a $250,000 grant, the maximum allowed. The project is led by Dipali Rinker, research associate professor and member of the Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center.

Her focus: understanding and addressing the overlap between HIV and opioid use disorder (OUD) in Harris County, which includes the city of Houston.

The numbers are stark:

  • Harris County experiences the highest rate of drug-poisoning deaths in Texas from prescription opioids, heroin, FYL, and other synthetic opioids.

  • As of mid-2024, approximately 27,674 people in Houston/Harris County are living with HIV.

  • The region records more than 1,000 new HIV diagnoses each year, outpacing both state and national averages.

Researchers increasingly recognize that people living with HIV face heightened vulnerability to opioid use disorder due to overlapping medical, social, and behavioral factors.

Improving Screening and Treatment Through SBIRT

Rinker’s project aims to evaluate how well the SBIRT model—Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment—is integrated within five Ryan White–funded HIV clinics across Houston/Harris County. These clinics provide federally supported care for people living with HIV.

SBIRT is an evidence-based, early-intervention framework designed to identify individuals at risk for substance use and connect them to timely support before conditions worsen.

However, despite its demonstrated effectiveness, SBIRT is not widely or systematically implemented among HIV patients in the region.

Building a Community of Practice

“Our goal is to strengthen partnerships between academic researchers and community healthcare providers,” said Rinker. “By building a community of practice, we can improve screening, intervention, and referral systems for people living with HIV who also face opioid use disorder.”

To achieve this, Rinker and co-investigator Dr. Shital Patel from Baylor College of Medicine will analyze clinical records, conduct patient interviews, and gather provider insights through detailed surveys.

Their work will examine:

  • What motivates or discourages HIV patients from seeking treatment for OUD

  • What barriers providers face in offering opioid-related care

  • How structural challenges impact the integration of SBIRT

  • Opportunities to improve both opioid treatment and HIV health outcomes

Why This Matters

The intersection of HIV and OUD presents unique clinical challenges. Opioid use disorder can:

  • Increase risk of overdose

  • Reduce adherence to antiretroviral therapy

  • Complicate chronic disease management

  • Heighten vulnerability to co-occurring infections

Understanding—and addressing—these overlapping risks is essential for improving long-term health outcomes in this population.

“Integrating effective treatment for opioid use disorder is critical not only to reduce harm from substance use but to strengthen HIV care outcomes as well,” Rinker emphasized. “By the end of this project, we expect to have a comprehensive understanding of the barriers and opportunities for bringing SBIRT into HIV care across Harris County.”

Source: UH Newsroom

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