Narcan being made available in Sacramento city schools
SACRAMENTO - A life-saving treatment will soon be available at school sites within the Sacramento City Unified School District.
The district has announced plans to distribute Narcan to all school sites, starting next week. The district will be training staff to administer Narcan nasal spray during a suspected opioid-related emergency.
This move comes after there were 174 reported deaths among adults and teens as young as 15 in Sacramento County due to opioid overdose or poisoning in 2021.
The new concern is rainbow fentanyl, an extremely potent and dangerous synthetic opioid, which is found in pills, powders, and blocks in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes resembling sidewalk chalk or candy.
Victoria Flores, Executive Director of Sacramento Unified School District Student Support & Health Services issued this statement:
"We know that as adults and children cope with multiple traumas in their lives, before and after the pandemic, there has been a tremendous increase in substance abuse. Opioid related deaths can be prevented and by having broad access to Narcan, our schools will have the ability to educate our community and save more lives,"
This will complement the other life-saving devices, like AED, at schools.
Parents, guardians and students can access Narcan kits at the following locations:
- Harm Reduction Services
2800 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento
(916) 456-4849 *Two kits per person limit - SANE (Safer Alternatives thru Networking & Education)
4433 Florin Road Suite 890
Sacramento
(916) 397-2434 - Gender Health Center
3823 V Street Sacramento
(916) 455-2391, or harm-related inquire at (916) 620-1908 - Sacramento LGBT Community Center
1015 20th Street, Sacramento
(916) 442-0185
[Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that there were 174 deaths within the district due to opioid overdose or poisoning in 2021. This information has been corrected.]
