The San Mateo County Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities launched its Naloxone Toolkit in December 2022 to help prepare school staff to safely use naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses that may occur on their campuses.
The county council reported that several area school districts and private schools have already completed the onboarding process and received a supply of naloxone, also known under the brand name Narcan, while many others are working to complete the necessary steps to participate in the program.
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose while having little to no other effect on a person if opioids are not present in their system.
Naloxone works by blocking opioid receptor sites, rapidly reversing the toxic effects of overdose.
The Food and Drug Administration ?FDA, for its acronym in English? approved naloxone to treat overdoses in 1971, and paramedics and hospitals have used it to successfully reverse opioid overdoses for decades.
Naloxone requires a prescription, which the San Mateo County Office of Education has obtained through a State Standing Order for schools and districts participating in the program.
The county underlined that it supports the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities with funds from the local Measure K half-cent sales tax.
According to experts, naloxone is not a controlled substance and is not habit-forming, has few known adverse effects and no potential for abuse, has not been shown to encourage drug use, and has no weight or age limits. , making it a good option for schools.
The Naloxone Toolkit includes information about opioids and outlines the steps schools must take to participate in the Naloxone School Program.
For example, the Toolkit explains what opioids are and how they affect the human body; addresses the emergence and specific dangers of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has been shown to be particularly dangerous for young people; describes the science behind an opioid overdose; and explains how to recognize and respond to a suspected opioid overdose, including the administration of naloxone.
The toolkit also sets out the steps to implement the naloxone program for schools, including training; establish and fill roles; address storage, use and notification systems; and communication with the school community.
The San Mateo County Office of Education is leading this work for the Coalition and is partnering with the State of California to offer the Naloxone Delivery Project ?NDP? to San Mateo County schools.
The council noted that the NDP is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and administered by the Department of Health Care Services to combat opioid overdose-related deaths in California.
“The opioid epidemic is affecting families and communities everywhere, and schools must be prepared to respond to this public health crisis,” shared San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee.
"Naloxone Toolkit complements the awareness and prevention work that education leaders are already doing to help keep our students and communities safe," he added.
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