By increasing educational and awareness initiatives, we have the potential to prevent overdose in our community. With this purpose in mind, RiverValley Behavioral Health has launched our “NARCAN® – A Life Worth Saving” campaign.
This campaign aims to educate our communities about substance use disorders and prevention and equip community members with NARCAN®, a lifesaving medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
RiverValley’s commitment to overdose awareness and prevention reflects our commitment to the well-being of every individual, reinforcing the notion that everyone deserves the chance to heal, recover, and thrive. Every community deserves to be safe and healthy.
“We know that substance misuse addiction does not discriminate, so it is vital that we spread awareness far and wide that NARCAN® can, and does, save lives from opioid overdoses and that those lives are worth saving,” said Brooke Arnold, Senior Director of the RVBH Regional Prevention Center. “Equipping individuals with not only Narcan, but also with education and resources, is a way for us to combat the disease. This campaign, coupled with our opioid overdose prevention training that promotes intervention, treatment and recovery, will instill a sense of hope for individuals and families impacted by substance misuse.”
In 2022, nearly 110,000 people died in the United States from drug overdoses. In Kentucky, there were 2,135 overdose deaths recorded, according to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bystanders are present in approximately one-in-three opioid overdoses, with someone being present in nearly two out of three overdose deaths.
Having NARCAN® available and providing education about the lifesaving effects of the medication and how to use it, allows bystanders to help prevent a fatal overdose and save lives.
“Our goal with this campaign to help increase harm reduction, prevent overdoses, and decrease the stigma associated NARCAN® and substance use disorders in our communities,” said Nicki Feher, RVBH Vice President of Nursing & Prescriber Services. “Overdose can happen to anyone and having NARCAN® on hand can help prevent an opioid overdose and save a life.”
NARCAN® quickly reverses an opioid overdose and restores breathing within 2 to 3 minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose. NARCAN® will not harm someone if they’re overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it’s always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing. If you give someone NARCAN®, stay with them until emergency help arrives. Good Samaritan laws are in place in most states to protect those who are overdosing and anyone assisting them in an emergency from arrest, charges, or a combination of these.
“RiverValley Behavioral Health is proud to introduce our new campaign to help educate our community members about opioid overdose, and show them that they matter, they are not alone, and their lives are worth saving” said Dr. Wanda Figueroa-Peralta, RVBH President & CEO. “But our efforts do not end there. We are dedicated to ensuring every person and every family has access to the essential resources they need to achieve recovery. Through education, continued support and compassion, we can help end overdose in our communities.”
To learn more about NARCAN®, how to get trained on administering NARCAN®, and where to pick up a free dose, visit us online at rvbh.com/narcan.
Owensboro, KY, USA
33 °F Overcast
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on your website.
