- The take-home Naloxone education program will target existing kinship caregivers affected by opioid misuse and train peer recovery supporters in the region to administer naloxone.
- This project partners with the Public Children Services Associations (PCSAs) that will help identify and assist with the recruitment of current child welfare kinship caregivers.
Additional components of the take-home Naloxone program will be to provide education to families and friends about:
- Opioid use and misuse and their effects on the brain
- How to recognize an overdose, administer Narcan, and be aware of adverse reactions
- Developing boundaries with substance-affected family members
- Trauma implications that children may have experienced
Education on Trauma, Overdose, and Naloxone Administration
Communities want to equip families with naloxone and provide training on how to administer it effectively. Individuals who are likely to come into contact the most with individuals misusing opioids do not necessarily have access to naloxone, which could prevent a fatal overdose. The lack of training in naloxone administration does not just affect kinship caregivers involved in the child welfare system but affects any kin who is caring for a child due to a loved one’s opioid use disorder.
Additionally, family members may have knowledge about how to administer Narcan, but are largely unprepared for the reactions that can happen after the individual is revived, which can include violence and anger. This can be daunting for family members and even more so for children who witness opioid misuse or an overdose.
Opioid Overdose Family Support Toolkit
