Statewide effort targets drug abuse awareness
BANGOR, Maine — Diversion Alert, the Wabanaki Tribal Health Clinics and Husson University School of Pharmacy have launched a statewide initiative called “Wabanaki Pathway to Hope and Healing,” which is funded through one of 18 Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Grants awarded by the Health Resource and Service Administration’s Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Grant Program.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about the risks of opioid overdose, while increasing the ability of tribal communities to respond to such a situation if it does arise.
The project’s goals included identifying steps involved in a community-wide naloxone program, an opiate antidote that can be used in cases of suspected drug overdose; discussing the importance of cultural competence; and listing resources available for guidance in the development of policies and protocols regarding naloxone.
Through funds provided by the grant, health care providers in tribal health clinics and staff in all three tribal police departments were trained to prescribe naloxone. Grant funds were used to purchase 150 naloxone kits that were distributed across the five health centers, to be dispensed by standing order to patients at risk for opioid overdose, and protocols were established for each clinic for the distribution of naloxone.
In Aroostook County, tribal health centers are the Micmac Service Unit in Presque Isle and the Maliseet Health and Wellness Center in Littleton.
“We are sincerely thankful to the tribal health directors for joining forces with us in this important endeavor to address the issue of addiction and overdose. We have made a lot of progress along the ‘Pathway to Hope and Healing’ and endeavor to continue along that path together,” said Sarah Martin, assistant professor of social and administrative sciences at Husson University School of Pharmacy.
According to the Maine Medical Association, there were 272 overdose deaths in Maine last year. In 2014 emergency medical services administered naloxone 829 times in Maine, a report by the State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup says. That number reportedly increased in 2015.
The initiative also aims to encourage others to support those in recovery and includes a website ( recoveryinme.com) that provides resources for communities and families. It specifically includes information about how to use naloxone.
“The public service announcements that were created for Wabanaki Pathway to Hope and Healing focus on bringing a much needed message to families and communities about responding to the widespread problem of addiction in our state. That message is that we can all be part of the solution by building families and communities that support people in recovery,” said Clare Desrosiers, executive director of Diversion Alert.
The initiative includes an infographic with instructions about how to use naloxone; a rack card; an instructional video about how use naloxone; and television and radio PSAs.
Diversion Alert also offers tools for medical professionals which provide access to drug arrest data so they can identify and respond to patients at risk for overdose, in need of treatment, or engaged in illegal prescription drug distribution.
The three other Wabanaki tribal health clinics are the Passamaquoddy Health Center at Indian Township, Penobscot Nation Health Department on Indian Island, and the Pleasant Point Health Center.
