Strategic Opioid and Fentanyl Awareness
Opioids are a class of drugs primarily used to treat pain. There are prescription opioids, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and methadone, and illegal opioids, such as heroin. While opioids can be very effective in treating pain, they are highly addictive. Often, people who become dependent on prescription opioids turn to heroin as a cheaper source.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is causing accidental overdoses and claiming lives across the country. In 2021, fentanyl took more lives than gun- and auto-related deaths combined. Illicit fentanyl is being mixed with other drugs to increase its potency and is sold as powders and nasal sprays. It also is becoming increasingly common to find it pressed into pills, which are made to look like legitimate prescription drugs.
Every 7 out of 10 fake pills tested for fentanyl contain a lethal dose.
State Opioid Response Initiative
To help combat the nationwide opioid crisis, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced nearly $1.5 billion in State Opioid Response (SOR) grants. The grants cover a variety of services, including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support.
The Hub uses its SOR funding to increase awareness of opioid use disorder (OUD), reduce unmet treatment needs, and prevent opioid-related deaths. We do this work by:
- Conducting assessments of opioid overdoses in the region
- Attending meetings and trainings associated with OUD
- Offering free community training on how to administer Narcan (naloxone)
- Supplying free Narcan (naloxone) kits to community members
- Providing suicide awareness and prevention training
- Organizing drug take-back initiatives
- Advising about proper storage and disposal of addictive substances
- Managing mini-grant awards to regional communities for their opioid awareness and prevention efforts
