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Leaders learn of trends in overdose deaths

Wilson Daily Times - 3/2/2018

March 02--Dozens of community leaders gathered Wednesday for the Wilson County Substance Prevention Coalition's quarterly meeting.

The coalition also hosted guest speaker Mary Beth Cox, substance use epidemiologist with the N.C. Division of Public Health and the Injury and Violence Prevention Branch. Cox gave a presentation on the work she and others are doing at the state level in tracking unintentional overdose deaths as well as contributing factors to those deaths. Cox discussed trends they have been seeing recently in unintentional overdose deaths which includes a mixture of opioids and alcohol.

Cox also shared a trove of recent state and local data that is available on the state's website. She said the state is working hard to get the most recent data related to these trends out faster than before. Cox said the epidemic is changing on a regular basis, and they want communities to have access to this data to empower communities on prevention and intervention measures.

CURRENT WORK

Erin Day, Wilson County Substance Prevention Coalition's executive director, also gave leaders updates on initiatives throughout Wilson including providing medication lock boxes to school nurses to reduce access.

Day told the group that the school system is still considering a proposal on equipping middle and high schools with intranasal naloxone kits. Naloxone is a life-saving antidote that reverses opioid overdoses. It's only effective for those in an opioid situation but doesn't harm those experiencing a different type of overdose. There is also no liability to administer the kits under state law. The proposal is a proactive prevention and intervention strategy.

"Wilson County youth between the ages of 11 and 15 report the first use of prescription medication that is not theirs to be around 12 years old," Day said.

Day said they are still researching and gathering data on evidence-based programs to implement for sixth- through eighth-graders in school for preventing substance use.

The coalition also recently rolled out its new website -- wilcoprevention.org -- where the community can access resources, initiatives and strategies.

"We've got a lot of irons in the fire," Day said. "I believe in our work. And we are commissioned to do this work."

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