“We hope this is information that you’ll never need to use, but now you have it if you ever do.” This is the closing message of a very informative training video now available to all students, faculty and staff at the ΒιΆΉΣ³» through WebCampus.
The School Public Health faculty, University students, and CASAT have been working to make naloxone more available, according to Dean Muge Akpinar-Elci. The training, created by the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) in association with the ΒιΆΉΣ³» Opioid Center of Excellence at the School of Public Health, is the first step designed to provide opioid overdose education and make naloxone (often best known under the brand name Narcan) and other harm reduction tools available on the ΒιΆΉΣ³» campus.
Individuals can complete the online training, take a quiz to confirm they understand the content and receive a certificate of completion via email. With that certificate, they can visit one of three locations around campus and anonymously pick up a harm reduction kit. While the certificate must be shown, no record is kept of who picked up the kit, ensuring anonymity and removing barriers to accessing these life-saving medications and tools in the community.
“The purpose of the ΒιΆΉΣ³» Opioid Center of Excellence is to develop and disseminate evidence-based and research informed training and offer technical assistance to address opioid use, misuse abuse and overdose effecting ΒιΆΉΣ³» communities.”
The kit contains a number of items to help with opioid overdose and harm reduction including two doses of naloxone, test strips to detect certain substances including fentanyl and xylazine, a CPR mask and gloves, as well as information about community resources.
The overdose education and harm reduction program on campus launched in August 2024. Students from the Associated Students of the University of ΒιΆΉΣ³» (ASUN) put together a resolution about one and a half years ago requesting more availability of Narcan on campus. The program is funded by a federal grant managed by the state, with CASAT serving as the distributor of opioid overdose information—a role it has fulfilled in ΒιΆΉΣ³» since 2018.
“This is really a grassroots movement initiated by the student body,” Michelle Berry, the associate director of CASAT said. “We aren’t doing this because we think there is a high use of opioids on campus. We want to make sure it’s available where there may be any instances of use. If people come across a situation, we want them to feel prepared.”
Although the data specific to our campus does not indicate widespread opioid use, CASAT, the School of Public Health, and the Student Health Center have been working diligently to prepare anyone to take life-saving action for that rare instance they witness a crisis that may be related to exposure to opiates.
“It only takes one time and one misuse for an overdose to occur,” Dr. Cheryl Hug-English, professor and medical director of the Student Health Center said. “We’ve sadly seen that happen in years past, where the person thinks they’re using one substance, but it’s laced with something else and that has resulted in death. Counterfeit pills are out there, and people don’t know what they’re getting.”
The program aims to assist anyone, whether they’re trying to prevent harm from recreational use or those already addicted to opioids like heroin, oxycontin, tramadol, codeine, or fentanyl. The hope is that the more education about opioid abuse disorder and opioid overdose is distributed, the fewer deaths and tragedies related to opioids will occur.
“While naloxone will not create further harm if administered to someone who is experiencing an unknown overdose, it will not help anyone who is experiencing an overdose with anything other than opioids. That is part of the reason that calling 911 before doing anything else is so important,” Berry said.
The online training, available at any time through WebCampus, covers key topics such as what opioids are, recognizing an overdose, administering life-saving actions and the legal protections offered by the Good Samaritan Act. Harm reduction kits are available at the Student Health Center, Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, and the School of Public Health in the Edna S. Brigham Building.
“It’s important to know that naloxone will not stop the overdose entirely. It works for a short period of time in which the person can be taken to a hospital for proper life-saving treatment,” Berry said. “That is why calling 911 is a critical first step no matter what.”
The University of ΒιΆΉΣ³», Las Vegas (UNLV) offers a similar education and harm reduction program and Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) is working to replicate the program now offered at the ΒιΆΉΣ³».
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