Public health agencies in Southwest Florida are distributing free overdose prevention kits as part of a statewide initiative to save lives.
The state Department of Health in Collier and Lee counties are giving out Narcan nasal spray kits to anyone who is at risk of an opioid overdose or to loved ones of drug abusers.
Each kit consist of two Naloxone nasal spray treatments.
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No probing questions will be asked and no appointment is necessary, according to the state agencies. You must be 18 and older.
“Those requesting kits will receive educational material, referrals, and connections for substance abuse intervention,” according to a news release.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and restores breathing and consciousness within minutes.
It can be administered by someone who is not a healthcare professional before paramedics arrive but it is not intended as a substitute.
Someone experiencing an overdose cannot administer the Narcan nasal spray to their self. That’s why it is important to let friends and family know you have a kit or have loved ones keep it on hand, according to a Narcan public service announcement.
Dr. Wendell McClurg, administrative director of the emergency departments at the NCH Healthcare System in Collier, said he supports the health department’s distribution of the kits.
Physicians in the ER’s say anecdotally they have seen more drug overdoses in recent years, especially for Fentanyl, McClurg said.
“Anything that can be done to stop the harmful effects of a drug overdose as quickly as possible, such as the administration of Narcan by paramedics in the field, will go a long way in potentially reducing permanent damage while increasing the patient’s chances for recovery,” he said.
In September, the state health department in Tallahassee rolled out an initiative to distribute the kits statewide, starting with 16 county-level health departments in mostly rural areas.
Collier and Lee were not part of the initial rollout but received stock this week.
The Collier health department has an “infinite supply,” spokeswoman Kristine Hollingsworth said in an email.
The COVID-19 pandemic’s dramatic impact on daily life with job losses, deaths and heightened stress has been blamed for increased drug use.
The American Medical Association, citing data of 107,000 drug overdose deaths nationwide in 2021, said it “continues to urge policymakers’ action to increase access to evidence-based care for substance use disorders, pain and harm reduction measures.”
The availability of Narcan decreased during the pandemic; the number of people filling prescriptions at pharmacies declined 26%, according to the AMA.
Where does Florida rank in overdoses?
Florida ranks 15th among the states for its overdose death rate of 35 per 100,000 residents, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
For the 12-month period ending in March, CDC data shows 8,104 drug overdose deaths in Florida, which was a 4% increase from 7,764 deaths for the same period in 2021.
The more than 8,000 deaths in Florida was the highest one-year total ever recorded in the state, Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, deputy secretary for the state health department, said in September when the distribution initiative launched.
The CDC data shows Collier had 107 overdose deaths and Lee had 306.
The state is collaborating with the state Department of Children and Families through a program called “iSaveFL” to distribute the kits, which ties into the state health department starting to provide Narcan kits in 2018 to first responders.
The health department in Collier would like to partner with the county’s EMS to distribute the kits, according to EMS Chief Tabatha Butcher.
“We are working on a final implementation plan for this,” she said.
“If readily available, the distribution of the kits would provide family members/friends a means to provide treatment to someone who is experiencing a drug overdose quicker than waiting for first responders to arrive on scene,” she said in an email.
“This could potentially reduce the need to call 911 or transport to the hospital by ambulance if the patient is stable and no longer needs assistance upon EMS arrival,” she said.
Use of Narcan could also reduce the need for extensive lifesaving efforts by paramedics in the field if the patient is not “down” for an extended period of time, Butcher said.
The dominant addiction treatment centers in Southwest Florida, the David Lawrence Center in Collier and Saluscare in Lee, also provide the kits to the public at no charge.
Where can I get Narcan kits?
The kits can be picked up at the health department in Lee at 3920 Michigan Ave. in Fort Myers.
In Collier the kits are available at the health department locations at 3339 E. Tamiami Trail and in Immokalee at 419 N. First St.
