Sharing this message from the Pennsylvania Department of Education:
Dear Education Leaders, Child Care Providers, and Librarians,
We are reaching out to share an essential initiative from the Pennsylvania State Police Drug Analysis Unit: the Overdose Spike Alert Program. This program, established under Act 158 (2022), is designed to help combat the overdose epidemic by providing real-time notifications of overdose incidents and the use of overdose reversal drugs. By subscribing to this alert system, you will receive timely updates via text message about overdose spikes in your area. This information will help you stay informed and act swiftly to support your community.
To enroll in the program, please visit Overdose Spike Notification Program Enrollment, click “Enroll to Receive Alerts,” and enter your contact details along with the specific counties and municipalities you wish to monitor.
In addition to subscribing to the alert system, we encourage you to investigate and enhance your organization’s readiness regarding Narcan (naloxone) supplies and training. Naloxone is a lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Every life is worth saving, and making naloxone readily available could prevent tragedies—whether it’s an accidental overdose or a child mistaking opioid medications for candy. Providing naloxone offers a critical chance for recovery and survival.
Education leaders and librarians may consider using this new spike alert information as an impetus to:
- Assess current naloxone supplies: Ensure that your organization has naloxone readily available.
- Arrange training: Educate staff on opioid spike trends and on how to administer naloxone and respond to overdose situations.
- Promote awareness: Inform your community about the opioid trends in your area and the importance of naloxone and available treatment options using existing communication protocols like emails, text blasts, newsletters, and websites.
For more information about Pennsylvania’s naloxone program and all the ways anyone can get it for free, visit Naloxone (pa.gov).
This epidemic affects us all, and the Overdose Spike Notification program and Narcan readiness can make a significant difference. Thank you for your dedication to safeguarding our communities and for your role in addressing this critical issue.
Read OCL’s recent post on this subject for even more information: NEXT Distro PSA: Is Your Narcan Fully Stocked? | Compendium (ocl-pa.org)