With the growing risks of student ingestion of narcotics, a discussion of how to implement Naloxone support on the school campus was raised at Tuesday’s K12 leader’s meeting.
Since 2020 there has been a Statewide Standing Order to Dispense Naloxone that can be used as a prescription by individuals and organizations. Naloxone is a medication administered to someone as an injection or nasal spray. It saves lives by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose from heroin, fentanyl, methadone, OxyContin®, Vicodin®, etc. According to Joffe Emergency Services, Narcan is not dangerous to someone not experiencing an overdose, which makes it a low-risk antidote.
The DOH Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program provides free training, technical assistance, and Naloxone to interested community members who complete the Naloxone Request Form.
SB 5380 (2019-20) states, “Each high school is encouraged to designate and train at least one school personnel to distribute and administer opioid overdose reversal medication if the high school does not have a full-time school nurse or trained health care clinic, staff.” WFIS suggests training more than one person!
