Lifesaving Narcan training given to construction supervisors
The Delaware Division of Public Health has partnered with the state’s construction industry to drive down the number of drug overdose deaths in Delaware.
In partnership with Bancroft Construction, the division’s Office of Health Crisis Response held a Narcan distribution event Nov. 18 for Bancroft workers at the University of Delaware FinTech job site.
This partnership also has allowed the division to provide construction supervisors with training about overdose, the stigma associated with addiction and Narcan administration for over 20 Bancroft Construction supervisors. The distribution event was the first time the division was able to get Narcan directly into the hands of the workers who are at risk of overdose or who may find themselves in a position to offer life-saving help to others.
“This was a small step in the right direction to help combat drug overdose deaths,” said Kate Brookins, Office of Health Crisis Response director. “The overdose epidemic is a nationwide public health emergency that impacts all of our communities in Delaware, but the construction industry is particularly hard hit.”
There were 447 drug overdose deaths across the state in 2020, according to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science. As of 2019, Delaware had the second-highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the country, with 48 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Delaware Public Health Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report released in August 2019 showed 23 percent of overdose deaths in 2017 involved people working in the construction industry.
To date, the Office of Health Crisis Response has partnered with Bancroft and other major construction companies and groups to offer training about the stigma associated with addiction and administering Narcan. The office of is also in the process of developing a toolkit geared toward people in this industry to support overdose awareness and prevention.
Narcan is the brand name of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of opioids in an overdose situation and potentially save a life. People who witness an overdose should also call 9-1-1 and wait for medical help to arrive.
Narcan is available at most pharmacies in Delaware through a standing order. A prescription from an individual’s doctor is not needed. Individuals can also go to HelpIsHereDe.com to receive overdose training and Narcan through the mail, or they can visit one of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Bridge Clinics to get a free Narcan kit. The public is encouraged to download the free OpiRescue DE smartphone app, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to start an overdose rescue along with locations of pharmacies that carry naloxone.
Those who are struggling with substance use disorder, or anyone who has a loved one struggling with substance use disorder can call DHSS' Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE (1-833-946-7333) to be connected to trained crisis professionals who can discuss treatment options. Individuals and families also can go to HelpIsHereDe.com to find addiction treatment and recovery services in Delaware or nearby states.
