Gulf Park Health Center Offers Narcan/Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose

Wed, 11/08/2023 - 10:24am | By: Gabriela Shinskie

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Gulf Park Health Center is now offering a lifesaving medication to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Gulf Park faculty and staff can now head over to the Center to pick up Narcan/Naloxone kits.

Connie Richardson, Gulf Park Health Center Nurse Practitioner, said the service is necessary and beneficial for the community.

“This program is important for the safety of our students on campus,” said Richardson. “Faculty and staff are aware of signs of opiate overdose, and now will be armed with the resources to intervene quickly in case of such an emergency.”

To take advantage of the opportunity, faculty and staff must fill out a form and watch a short training video. Once the video is completed, an ID is required to pick up the kit. A limited supply is available.

The kits have been provided by the Mississippi Department of Health Pharmacy.

Just recently, USM became the first Mississippi University to provide Narcan Overdose Emergency kits in residence halls on the Hattiesburg campus along with instructions for use and CPR mask. The Moffitt Health Center initiative was funded by a $43,000 grant from the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation, through the USM Foundation. The University was able to install 50 Overdose Emergency Kits to be installed in resident halls and common areas around campus.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States. Young adults ages 18-25 are the largest group of users of prescription drugs. From March 2021 to March 2022, over 109,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the nation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in almost 40 percent of overdose deaths, someone was present. If you think someone is overdosing, be aware of the 5 rules of what one should do to save a life:

• Call 911
• Use naloxone immediately.
• Keep the person overdosing responsive.
• To prevent choking, lay the person on their side.
• Stay with the person until medical assistance is on the scene.

For more information, call 228-214-3300 or visit Gulf Park Health Center.