NEW NARCAN LEAVE BEHIND PROGRAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Johnson
(410) 219-3947 (Office)
(410) 251-5379 (Cell)
NEW NARCAN LEAVE BEHIND PROGRAM
(July 20, 2023, Salisbury, MD) Wicomico County Health Department is pleased to announce the initiation of the Narcan Leave Behind program in partnership with Salisbury Fire Department. The Narcan Leave Behind program will be modeled after other evidenced-based leave behind programs located throughout the country and is designed to increase access to Narcan among high-risk populations with the goal of decreasing overdose deaths within the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County as a whole.
Salisbury Fire Department will begin this month leaving the lifesaving medication, Narcan, behind to those who have experienced an overdose who may refuse transport to the emergency department and/or their family members. The Salisbury Fire Department will be focusing on individuals and families in this high-risk population to train on how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses and will dispense Narcan (Naloxone) Nasal units upon interaction during a call. “Thanks to the Wicomico Health Department, the Salisbury Fire Department will begin to carry ‘Leave Behind Naloxone Kits.’ The distribution of these kits is a new way our field clinicians will be able to assist in the overall risk reduction of our community. These kits can help avoid harmful or fatal overdoses and give an at-risk population, as well as their families and friends, a crucial link to treatment and assistance” says Chris Truitt, EMS Assistant Chief at the Salisbury Fire Department.
The target population that will be receiving these kits are those who refuse transport to the Emergency Department after an overdose event, but Narcan kits will also be left or offered to others who may be identified as someone who could benefit from the lifesaving medication. “Although preliminary data from the Opioid Operational Command Center shows a 16.3% decrease in overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending January 2023 when compared to the previous 12 months, we believe that initiatives like this will further assist in the decline of overdose deaths occurring in Wicomico County. We are grateful for the partnership with Salisbury Fire Department and their commitment to addressing the opioid crisis” says Wicomico County Health Officer, Matthew McConaughey.
For questions or concerns regarding the Narcan Leave Behind program, please contact Christina Bowie-Simpson, Opioid Coordinator at [email protected] or Chris Truitt, EMS Assistant Chief, at [email protected]. If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder, please call the Community Outreach Addictions Team (COAT) at 443-783-6875 or visit the Safe Station at 726 S. Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, MD 21801 (inside of the Recovery Resource Center).
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