The use of opioids in drugs has increased greatly in the past several years. According to an article in the Morning Call, in 2021, there were 700 opioid related deaths in the Lehigh Valley for the year. In the state of Pennsylvania there were over 4,500 opioid related deaths. It’s tragic to see community and family members die from overdose as a result of their addictions or even first time use. To combat the opioid epidemic across the country, first responders are using Naxalone, or as it’s commonly referred to, Narcan. Narcan is a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids and returns normal breathing.

With overdose being so much more common now, we want our staff and volunteers trained in how to administer Narcan so that we can save the lives of our community members. The Lehigh Valley Health Network and The Health Care Trust of Anne Constance and Carl Robert Anderson awarded a grant to the Valley Health Partners Street Medicine team and RCI to provide more health care access to the unsheltered community in Allentown. As a result of this partnership, RCI has hosted the Street Medicine team for Narcan training on two separate occasions. In June, we held a refresher course and individuals who participated in the training received a certificate and a free package of Narcan. These trainings have immediate and real world applications for us at the Community Center, as we have had to administer Narcan to our own community members on occasion. Their training allowed to know how to handle the situation and use Narcan while the first responders were in route to the center.

Thanks Street Medicine team for all you do!