The following is a news release from Williamson County, TX
In an effort to make a life-saving drug more readily available, Williamson County has co-located Narcan with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that are located in Williamson County buildings.
Narcan is an opioid overdose reversal medication that is used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. The medication installed in county buildings is administered through a nasal spray instead of through an injection, so there is no needle. The medication is not harmful if the person is not suffering from an opioid-related overdose.
Williamson County’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Community Health Paramedics initiated the program to supply county buildings with Narcan. The Community Health Paramedics partner with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services to follow up with people seen by EMS who have suffered an overdose. They discovered that people did not know how or where to access Narcan.
“We want Narcan to be more accessible to the public, so we started with our own public government buildings. We thought that government buildings might be a place where people think to go to for help,” said Amy Jarosek, lead for the Community Health Paramedic program.
The county’s mental health authority, Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, is supplying the Narcan through a grant. At the beginning of November, 63 boxes of Narcan were deployed to county buildings. The medicine is co-located with AEDs to make it easy to find. Bluebonnet Trails also has Narcan available through their clinics.
“This lifesaving partnership with EMS ensures help is available at the time it is most needed. The follow-up care enhances support for persons seeking recovery by connecting them with information and resources,” notes Andrea Richardson, CEO for Bluebonnet Trails Community Services.
In addition, individuals can obtain Narcan through any pharmacy by way of the national standing prescription.
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