Madison County partnership launches new program to address opioid overdoses

Wampsville, NY — Madison County Health Department and BRiDGES (Madison County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Inc.) are launching a new program to increase community access to naloxone by making wall-mounted emergency boxes available to community agencies and local businesses.

Nationally, more than 107,000 Americans died this past year due to an opioid overdose – a new high in our country – and New York State counties are expected to follow the same trend. The latest data available in Madison County shows the number of opioid-related deaths increased to 10 in 2020.

“The opioid overdose epidemic is a multi-layered problem across the country. We here in Madison County are committed to reducing opioid-related deaths in our community through our network of partner organizations,” Public Health Director for Madison County Eric Faisst said.

Naloxone, known as Narcan, is a medication designed to reverse an opioid overdose in minutes. Providing Narcan to residents who are most likely to have or see an overdose, including first responders, helps save lives

Similar to an AED machine, wall-mounted boxes of Narcan serve as an emergency response for a person experiencing an overdose where they are until medical help arrives. The New York State Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest in the event of an overdose.

Partner agencies plan to distribute these boxes across the community through targeted outreach and facility requests. They will begin by placing them at the Madison County office buildings with approval from the Board of Supervisors.

“At the Council, we are focused on the rising number of overdose deaths related to the illegal use of fentanyl in prescription drugs, including Adderall, Xanax, and pain medication,” Executive Director of BRiDGES Maureen Campanie said. “Due to the deadliness of fentanyl, it is critical that we have access to Narcan at public sites in the county. This is one step to further reduce death and harm in our community.”

Boxes measure 9″h x 7-1/4″w x 3-5/8″d and are easily installed on a wall. Training and Narcan will be provided free to the organization by BRiDGES.

If your agency or business is interested in applying for a Narcan emergency box, please fill out the form: www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/FormCenter/Health-Department-24/Application-Form-to-Order-a-Narcan-Emerg-185.

For local data on opioid use in Madison County, please visit the Health Department website: www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/1754/Reports-Data.

For local resources on tobacco, alcohol and other substances, please visit the BRiDGES website: bridgescouncil.org.