The Westfield Board of Health has expressed their support for a proposal to teach high school students how to administer naloxone, also known as Narcan, to reverse opioid overdoses. Board member Carrie Hildreth-Fiordalice, who is also a counselor at Westfield High School, praised the idea, calling it “great.”
The initiative came about after Dr. Stanley Strzempko, the chair of the Board of Health, received an email from a Harvard University student looking to discuss training high school students in the use of naloxone. The student is teaming up with a board-certified emergency medicine and addiction medicine specialist to make this proposal a reality.
Naloxone is a crucial medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and save lives. By teaching students how to administer it, the hope is that more lives can be saved in the event of an overdose. This initiative aligns with efforts nationwide to increase access to naloxone and combat the opioid epidemic.
The Westfield Board of Health is committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of the community, and supporting this initiative is just one way they are taking proactive steps to address the opioid crisis. With their backing, efforts to educate high school students on naloxone administration could soon become a reality in Westfield.
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