Arizona Schools Get Over 4K More Overdose Kits

Arizona Schools Get Over 4K More Overdose Kits

by | Jan 20, 2025 | Education, News

By Staff Reporter |

Arizona schools received over 4,000 overdose kits this past week, contributing to the thousands they have and will continue to receive. 

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) supplied the Narcan kits through its School Training Overdose and Intelligence Taskforce (STOP-IT) initiative.

In a press release, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne hailed the kits as “lifesaving,” and pledged for more to be coming. 

“The results have been excellent and represent my ongoing commitment to the health and safety of school-aged children,” said Horne. “They are to be congratulated for doing a tremendous amount of work in a short time and getting tangible results that will help protect children. We are grateful to the 20 medical societies, government agencies and state programs that have signed a letter of support promoting the integration of STOP-IT resources into our schools.”

Apart from this latest installment, ADE has supplied about 4,400 kits to 144 education agencies across the state. 

Horne launched STOP-IT last May to supply the kits to schools. Last November, ADE announced that it began deliveries of over 16,000 kits in coordination with the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs (DEMA). 

Schools signed up for these Narcan overdose kits through ADE’s online form after receiving permission from their districts. 

ADE pledged to continue replenishment of overdose kits to ensure schools’ continued ability to handle opioid emergencies. 

Nearly 60 percent of all fentanyl in the country comes through Arizona. Maricopa County maintains the second-highest overdose death rate among youth, according to Horne.

“Within the past three years, overdoses rose to the third leading cause of death in youth under age 18,” said Horne. “And according to the Department of Health Services, our state has recorded more than 1,300 non-fatal overdoses and 224 deaths in our kids since 2017. Those figures represent tragic situations for children and their families. As a state, we must do as much as possible to combat this scourge, which is why I am so proud of the meaningful progress made by the STOP-IT taskforce.”

Arizona reported over 1,900 opioid-related deaths and over 4,000 overdoses in 2023. 26 of those opioid-related deaths were among minors (those under the age of 17).

Last year, AZDHS recorded over 3,900 non-fatal opioid overdoses and over 1,300 confirmed opioid deaths. Total non-fatal overdoses among minors amounted to 94. Overdose deaths among minors for this year amounted to less than 10.

In partnership with ADE to make STOP-IT possible are the Arizona School Resource Officers Association, Arizona Counter Drug Task Force, Arizona School Administrators Association, Arizona Association of School Business Officials, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona School Boards Association, Arizona Society of Addiction Medicine, Arizona School Counselors Association, Arizona Chapter of the American College of Physicians, Arizona Association of School Psychologists, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona Interscholastic Association, Arizona Nurses Association, Arizona Medical Association, Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Arizona Chapter of the National Safety Council, National Association of School Nurses, School Nurses Association of Arizona, and the Substance Awareness Coalition Leaders of Arizona.

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Phoenix Libraries Used Up Month’s Supply Of Free Overdose-Reversing Drugs In A Week

Phoenix Libraries Used Up Month’s Supply Of Free Overdose-Reversing Drugs In A Week

by | Aug 25, 2023 | Education, News

By Corinne Murdock |  

Within a week, Phoenix’s public libraries used up a month’s worth of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan made available at no cost to the public. The 1,600 kits cleared out almost immediately.  

All 17 of Phoenix’s public libraries began offering the emergency overdose treatment last week. Narcan, or naloxone, is a nasal spray that reverses opioid and fentanyl overdoses.  

Mayor Kate Gallego touted the Narcan kit rollout as life-saving. Gallego told reporters that civilians and other city workers may now intervene as first responders.  

“By placing Naloxone in the hands of city employees and making it more accessible to residents, we’re creating a network of potential first responders who can make a significant impact in emergency situations,” said Gallego.

The Phoenix Public Library system didn’t post any announcements on their social media pages about the new overdose kit rollout, but did feature the young winners of their summer reading competition.

Library-goers may witness Narcan administrations while reading or dropping off their borrowed books.

As of last week, AZDHS reported nearly 800 opioid deaths, over 2,400 non-fatal opioid overdose events, and over 5,000 emergency and inpatient visits related to suspected opioid overdoses so far this year. First responders were able to administer Naloxone in about 4,000 out of 5,200 suspected opioid overdose responses (77 percent).   

Compared with 2022 totals, there are 312 less opioid deaths and over 400 more non-fatal opioid overdose events this year compared to this time last year. However, AZDHS noted that data for the last four months may still be in the process of being collected.   

It may be that the death count for this year will be greater than last year. The last four months currently report a sharp decline in opioid deaths compared to last year and 2021, but the first four months of the year overall represented an increase in deaths from last year and from 2021.   

However, the opioid death total dropped by 89 from 2021 to 2022, from around 2,000 to around 1,900.

Emergency and in-patient visits for suspected drug overdoses are occurring at similar rates this year compared with last year: over 5,700 this year compared to around 5,600 this time last year and around 6,800 this time in 2021. There are less suspected opioid overdose first responder responses compared to this time last year: around 5,200 compared to 6,300.   

A majority of opioid overdoses are due to fentanyl. Last year, nearly 66 percent of Phoenix-based opioid deaths involved fentanyl. 

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.