NSU opioid and stimulant prevention partners with CCSHC
NSU opioid and stimulant prevention program partners with Cherokee County Health Services Council to address opioid epidemic
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State University Opioid and Stimulant Prevention program is bolstering efforts for opioid and stimulant misuse prevention by partnering with Cherokee County Health Services Council. CCHSC was awarded the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act grant.
The grant will go toward putting Narcan distribution repositories in place around the NSU Tahlequah campus for NSU community members to access. The repositories are currently located in NSU residence halls; North and South Leoser, Cobb Hall, Wyly Hall and the Seminary Suites Clubhouse. Repositories are also being installed in the University Center and the RiverHawks Wellness Center.
“We are still identifying locations for the remaining repositories CCHSC provided to us, we hope to have them all installed by mid-April,” Joshua Rader, Director of Student Conduct & Development, said.
Rader added that the partnership aims to provide programming to address prevention, treatment of and recovery from Opioid Use Disorder. The programming includes generating awareness among the general public by promoting social support services and offering various prevention resources at no cost.
“In an ideal world, we hope through our prevention program efforts the need for Narcan (brand name for Naloxone) would be non-existent,” Rader said. “Our partnership with CCHSC allows the campus community easy and free access to Narcan, a lifesaving medication designed to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.”
Rader said that CCHSC will offer on-campus training to students and employees to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and how they may properly administer Narcan in the coming semesters. He added that CCHSC has also provided information on “good Samaritan” laws and addressed any misinformation about the use of Narcan in emergency situations.
For more information on this grant and how NSU is working to address opioid and stimulant use, email opioidandstimprevention@nsuok.edu.
About the NSU opioid and stimulant prevention program:
In 2022, Northeastern State University was awarded a Higher Education Prevention Service grant through the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. The three-year grant brings $100,000 a year in funding resources, providing funding for education and referrals and will utilize a coalition to address community-wide issues related to opioid and stimulant use in the surrounding areas.
The program provides education to community members about the dangers of opioid and stimulant misuse, how to properly store or dispose of medications to prevent accidental overdoses, and general information on proper use of opioids and stimulants. Community members can obtain free medication lock boxes and Deterra drug deactivation kits to safely dispose of unused and unwanted medications on the Tahlequah campus in the Administration Building, Suite 109.
Cutline for group photo:
Left to right: Dr. Jerrid Freeman, NSU Vice President for Student Affairs, D.J. Battiest-Tomasi, program director, Tri-County Self Management Care, Marcus Buchanan, program director, Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, Jennifer Phillips, Outreach Coordinator/Peer Support Specialist-RCORP, Hailey Fields, student program assistant for the Opioid and Stimulant Prevention Program, Angie DeMoss, Coordinator of Opioid and Stimulant Prevention, Keeara Clark, student program assistant for the Opioid and Stimulant Prevention Program.
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