TITLE
title
DEVELOP RAPID RESPONSE TEAM TO OPIOID OVERDOSES IN GUILFORD COUNTY
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SPONSOR
sponsor
Marty Lawing/Jim Albright
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BACKGROUND
background
Guilford County was awarded a special appropriation of $250,000 in the NC General Assembly's FY 2018 budget to address persons suffering from near lethal opioid overdoses.
The Guilford County Engagement Partnership Program will be focused on several objectives related specifically to opioid overdoses:
1. Reduce mortality from overdose
2. Provide a rapid response team with a rapid response team navigator for persons suffering from near fatal overdose, in concert with UNC-Greensboro (and their partners NC A&T and Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC)), Guilford County Sheriff (GCSO), Guilford County Health & Human Services - Public Health Division (GCHHS-PH), Guilford County Emergency Services (GCES), and other community partners.
3. Increase community knowledge of the dangers of opioid overdoses and reduce stigma surrounding opioids
4. Focus on harm reduction strategies for those in active use: specifically naloxone distribution, needle exchange and safe injection practices, HIV and HCV education and testing; with the ultimate goal of getting citizens into treatment.
5. Referral process to treatment providers in the community
6. Academically validate the effectiveness of “Rapid Response Teams” post reversal to suspected opioid overdoses
Funding will be used in several ways, but all will be accounted for through Guilford County:
1. Develop a partnership with UNC-Greensboro to employ an quick response team navigator and develop study parameters to validate effectiveness
2. Pay for staff time of GCSO deputy to participate in post-reversal follow up care
3. Develop a volunteer network of “Angels” developed in the Gloucester MA model, which will involve community partners, including NC A&T and GTCC
4. Purchase of naloxone and safe injection supplies
5. Testing expense for HCV and HIV
6. Development and ...
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