A local community organization continues to fight the opioid overdose epidemic.
Hope Dealers BTC, a registered opioid overdose prevention program, is holding a training session Saturday on how to administer Narcan. That’s the brand name for naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose.
“We're going to do a two-minute training, just how to recognize the signs, how to administer Narcan, provide them with a free kit,” said Gary Harding, director of treatment services for the nonprofit organization. “Inside that free kit will also be follow-up documentation, some more instructions on how to administer Narcan, how to recognize that overdose.”
Harding said most of the at-risk community members they work with are homeless and more susceptible to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Narcan kits contain a face shield, but there are concerns that people may not administer the overdose drug for fear of contracting the virus.
``I don't know if that would protect someone or not,” Harding said. “There's going to be that chance that if they do have coronavirus, that it could be contracted, you know, it's definitely a concern for everybody's safety."
Harding called it a personal choice but said he wouldn't hesitate to provide Narcan to someone who needs it.
He said his group has obtained more than 500 doses of Narcan from the state, and they're looking to get as many people trained as they can and get it into the community so more people can get into recovery.
The organization’s Facebook page has more information on the training.