DOH is offering all public high schools across the state naloxone, following legislation in 2022 that requires all high schools with more than 2000 students to retain this life-saving overdose medication at the school. SB 5804, filed last week, would expand the requirement to all public high schools.
WFIS has been in conversation with Kim Sanchez at DOH and Superintendent Reykdal, who have said they are working on a solution to include private schools. According to OSPI, a reason that independent schools are currently being left out of free overdose medication may be because our high schools do not meet the 2000 threshold.
WFIS advocates that once the program is functioning, it will shift to include support for all public and private high schools.