The fight against opioids continues with new efforts from state leaders and a local organization to combat the national crisis thats felt in the Coastal Bend.Padre Island resident Fay Martin lost her son Ryan to fentanyl poisoning. I cant save my own son but I can save yours. I can save your loved ones, Martin said.But shes turning her pain into purpose, educating others with her organization, Texas Against Fentanyl, where she serves as the South Texas Area Director for Texas Against Fentanyl.We need a COVID-like response to this crisis, Martin said.Her organization helped push House Bill 3908 into law in May of 2023, signed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. It requires fentanyl education in public schools for grades 6-12.But Martin said the problem is that its an unfunded mandate.It was created in Texas for Texans but we dont have the money to get it into the schools, Martin said.Martin said the comptroller's office has $1.6 billion that was allocated from a statewide opioid abatement settlement. Her organization is hoping to see some of that funding.Its not fair that the comptroller's office is holding on to money that we can be using for our kids, Martin said.But their efforts arent stopping there. This month they reached out to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council asking for help.We submitted a grant asking for these funds and leaned a little bit through emails and private conversations with Governor Abbotts office asking if he can help us, Martin said.Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton also secured an $83 million opioid settlement for Texas just last week.KRIS 6 Newsalso spoke with Nueces County Judge Connie Scott to ask if Nueces County has received any money from the state from a previous Texas opioid abatement settlement.In the 2022-23 we received a little over $400,000 and in the 23-24 we received $88,000, Scott said.Scott, who was not the County Judge at the time the funds were received, said the money they received in the settlement was not used to address the opioid crisis but rather used in the general fund in order to not raise taxes.But Martin and others are still determined to make sure as many people and students living in the Coastal Bend are made aware of the crisis in hopes to save as many lives as possible.Thats my son, my only son and it happened to him. The person that sold it to him, he got five years and served two. My son got a death sentence and I got a life sentence. Its something that I wouldnt wish on anybody. This is the worst club to be in, losing a child, Martin said.Scott said Paxton and his team are currently negotiating how much money each county in the Coastal Bend will receive from the $83 million settlement.