BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Kern County’s fentanyl task force has received nearly $11 million in state funding, and Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains says the effort is already producing results in both treatment and enforcement.
The task force brings together health care providers, law enforcement, and other experts to tackle the fentanyl crisis through treatment and enforcement. Bains, a Democrat from Delano, said the program led to the creation of Kern County’s first inpatient detox program for Medi-Cal patients.
“In the addiction world, you get maybe 50 to 60% retention rate; we had a 90% retention rate in Kern County, we are going to lead the way on getting people the help that they need,” Bains said.
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On the enforcement side, Bains said the task force has helped take more than 224 pounds of fentanyl off the streets since it was launched in July 2024.