Project HOPE fighting opioid epidemic with Narcan nasal spray kits

According to documents provided by Erin Michael, the public health nurse for Petersburg and Wrangell, opioids were involved in 42,000 deaths in the United States in 2016. In Alaska, in 2017, there were 108 opioid-related deaths. The National Institute of Drug Abuse said that opioids are highly addictive and can be found in illegal substances like heroin. It is also found in prescription pain

medications such as OxyContin and Vicodin. To combat the increasing abuse of opioids in the area, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has organized a new program, Project HOPE.

“As far as opioids go, Alaska has seen deaths quadruple from heroin from 2009 to 2015,” Michael said.

Project HOPE is working to reduce opioid overdoses by providing kits of Narcan to communities throughout Alaska. The program has been around for about a year, Michael said. Narcan is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, giving the victim time to reach a hospital. According to Michael, the Narcan is administered to a patient via a nasal spray that is easy to use. She said that the kits are provided to several professional medical organizations that apply for them, and the kits are then distributed to the public.

“Any entity that has a medical professional there can sign up,” Michael said.

In Wrangell, both the Wrangell Medical Center and the SEARHC AICS clinic have access to the Narcan kits. Michael said that the kits come with a nasal spray, a pair of gloves, a CPR mask, and instructions on how to use the kit. She added that to get a kit, there are a few simple steps one must go through. A person wanting a kit must be 18-years-old or older, first of all, and

they must undertake a short bit of training. Michael said that the training is quick and can be done in a few minutes. The person will also need to fill out a small questionnaire to help track demographic information. After this, she said, the person can get up to three Narcan kits at a time.

“It’s meant to be very easy for anyone to use,” Michael said.

More information about Project HOPE, Narcan, and opioid use can be found online at http://www.dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Director/Pages/heroin-opioids/narcan. More information can be found via email at ProjectHOPE@alaska.gov.