Opioid overdose is currently the leading cause of death among adults age 50 and under in the United States. In 2017 alone, 323 Rhode Islanders lost their lives to overdose, which is more than the number of homicides, motor vehicle accidents and suicides combined.

State and local agencies are doing everything they can to address this epidemic, reduce fatalities, and direct people with opioid use disorder into treatment. One solution is increasing access to Naloxone (aka Narcan), a drug which actually reverses the effects of opiates, from heroin to fentanyl to morphine.

As a part of the state’s efforts to address the overdose crisis and save lives, several public health agencies joined forces and hosted the first statewide Community Overdose Engagement (CODE) Summit. During this event, municipal leaders were charged with the task of developing comprehensive overdose response plans that aligned with the State’s Overdose Action Plan. In June 2018, 25 of Rhode Island’s 39 municipalities submitted approved overdose response plans and were awarded Gov. Gina Raimondo’s Overdose Prevention Leadership designations, as well as about $10,000.

“We were tasked with enacting a community approach to the crisis in our communities,” said Emily Spence, co-coordinator of Bristol’s Health Equity Zone. “They gave us a list of evidence-based initiatives and $10,000.”

In addition to providing continued funding for the East Bay Recovery Center, the money enabled HEZ to purchase crisis tool kits for family members through REST: Resources Education Support Together, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals who have a loved one struggling with a substance use, as well as 15 NaloxBox units to be installed in municipal buildings, adjacent to AED automatic defibrillators.

The task of installing the units fell to Rob West, a local contractor and paramedic, who has seen first-hand the effects of opioids and Naloxone on the community. He’s almost installed all 15; currently they are at locations including Town Hall, Rogers Free Library, the Maritime Center, the Quinta Gamelin Community Center, the Town Beach office, the Senior Center, Franklin Court Independent Living, the East Bay Food Pantry, St. Michael’s Church, St. Mary’s Church, the First Congregational Church, the Reynolds Center for Arts and Wellness, and the Bristol Police Department.

Availability throughout the community is important, as overdoses in public places have increased by 15 percent this past year. While there is the assumption that Naloxone is a lifesaver for people struggling with an addiction to illegal narcotics, it was in fact developed — and is often used — to rescue elderly people who, whether due to poor eyesight or a memory laps, have overdosed on prescribed opioid pain medications.

The stigma surrounding who might need Naloxone highlights the two-fold goal of the NaloxBox — yes, to save lives in the moment, but also to make remedies more accessible in hopes of bringing people in for long-tern recovery help.

NaloxBox (a brand name) is designed to improve the capacity of bystander rescuers by increasing the access to this lifesaving drug. Each gasketed box includes a 4-milligram dose of nasal Narcan, a CPR rescue mask, gloves, and tear-off instructions in both English and Spanish.

Naloxone is simple to administer and has no side effects — it can even be given to pregnant women. Because of this, and the fact that the signs of opioid intoxication can mimic other medical emergencies, Naloxone can actually be used as a diagnostic tool by rescue personnel.

“It’s just another lifesaving device,” said Mr. West.

The Bristol HEZ has five more boxes to install and they are looking for additional business locations. If any business owners are able and willing to provide space for these small, wall-mounted units, contact HEZ at hezteam@bristolhealthequityzone.org for information and a free NaloxBox.