Northwestern Prevention Collaborative offering free online training on how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug

The Northwestern Prevention Collaborative in collaboration with Northwestern Community Services Board is sponsoring online trainings that teach people how to administer naloxone (the drug that reverses an overdose of opiates) and provides naloxone free of charge to participants who complete the online course. The training is being offered beginning at 12 noon, on July 31^st or August 28^th. There is a rapid REVIVE training which will last 20 minutes or a longer more in-depth version that provides information on why overdoses happen and risk factors that contribute to overdoses which will end by 1:30. Participants must preregister for the training ONLINE.

The Center for Disease Control just listed its preliminary numbers for overdose deaths in the US for 2019 at 70,980 an increase of 4.8% over 2018. In Virginia, the fatality rate increased 7.5% from 2018 rates. So far this year there have been 18 fatal overdoses in Page, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties through July 21^st. This compares to a total of 11 for all of last year for the three counties according to reports from the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force. Nonfatal overdoses have increased significantly as well.

Please take advantage of the free training and dose of naloxone particularly if there are pain medications in the home.

About Northwestern Prevention Collaborative

The Northwestern Prevention Collaborative is focusing on the heroin/opioid epidemic in the Lord Fairfax Planning District, encompassing the City of Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren with dual goals of preventing young people from misusing prescription drugs and reducing the number of heroin/prescription drug overdose deaths. The Collaborative is a partnership between Page Alliance for Community Action, Family Youth Initiative, Warren Coalition and the Prevention Department of Northwestern Community Services and is funded through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.