Craven County Opioid Epidemic Response will host a free Narcan training from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 20 at Religious Community Services, located at 919 George Street in New Bern.
The training is being recommended for anyone who spends time with people who use opioid drugs to learn life-saving steps to take until medical help arrives.
According to a county press release, participants will learn how to recognize and appropriately respond to an opioid overdose, administer nasal Narcan, and perform hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Participants will also receive a free two-dose Narcan kit after completing the training. No registration is required.
Narcan (Naloxone) is a fast-acting and easy-to-administer nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose within two to three minutes and reduce potentially fatal effects, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). When someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, response is needed within four to six minutes. Narcan is a temporary treatment until medical help arrives and only works on overdoses caused by opioids. This family of drugs includes prescription painkillers like OxyContin, Fentanyl, Methadone, and Vicodin, as well as street drugs like heroin.
The free training has been developed in partnership with the Craven County Health Department and Religious Community Services.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard, there were 83 reported overdose deaths in Craven County in 2022. The Craven County Opioid Epidemic Response was established to reduce local opioid-related overdoses and deaths through prevention, collaboration, harm reduction, treatment, short-term and long-term recovery, and recovery support services.
The new department, which is located at 2822 Neuse Boulevard in New Bern, was created when the county combined its Opioid Task Force developed in 2017 with national Opioid Settlement Funds.
Colonel Eric T. Lund was named as Craven County’s Opioid Epidemic Response’s Opioid Program Manager on Oct.2. Lund will be responsible for ensuring Craven County complies with requirements established by the Memorandum of Agreement between the State of North Carolina and Local Governments on Proceeds Relating to the Settlement of Opioid Litigation.
Craven County is set to receive $15.5 million over the next 18 years as part of the state’s share of the national opioid settlement with distributors and manufacturers.
According to information presented at the Craven County Opioid Epidemic Response Annual Meeting in June, the county is estimated to receive $15,557,608 between 2022 and 2038. The county has already received $1,116,187 of that amount for fiscal year 2022-23.
For more information contact Jasmine Canady at 252-876-8319 or visit the Craven County Opioid Epidemic Response website.