THE BRIGHT SIDE
NARCAN, the addiction drug that saves so many lives.
Last month the Open Arms Free Clinic in Elkhorn started a partnership with the Walworth County Drug and Alcohol Coalition (WALCO DAC) to provide free NARCAN to community members in need. NARCAN is a lifesaving medication that can be administered during an opiate overdose to help reverse the effect of the drug. Unfortunately, Walworth County has seen an increase in deaths related to opiate overdoses, along with an increase in usage. DAC was formed in July of 2017 in an effort to increase community-wide awareness of how vast the issue of drugs, overdoses, and alcohol and tobacco abuse is in Walworth County. Substance abuse is a chronic disease that many people can’t find a way out of or know how to reach out for the help they need. DAC is reaching out to the community through classes, schools, libraries, and much more to improve the health and overall well-being of Walworth County residents by trying to decrease the addictive behaviors of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. These substances control and take over a person to the point that they don’t know who they are anymore and can no longer function as members of society. WALCO DAC participates in the NARCAN Direct Program through the Wisconsin State Department of Health Services, which provides free NARCAN to anyone that requests it with just a simple free training course.
Previously, the training was only offered through in-person community events so DAC reached out to the Open Arms Free Clinic to develop a better, more consistent approach, to the pandemic related barriers, as well as a permanent location that residents can go to for the proper help, they need to overcome this vicious battle of addiction. Open Arms’ goal is to improve access to healthcare for free, including medical, dental, and counseling services, to low-income, uninsured residents in Walworth County.
The decision to come together to provide free NARCAN to the community was an easy choice because both organizations are trying to eliminate barriers to access to the lifesaving drug. The road to recovery is not fast nor easy, however. It’s a lifelong struggle and commitment that many don’t achieve because they overdose before reaching the point of getting help. Providing this medication to users of substance abusers and their families is a way to keep them stay alive until they are ready to receive the treatment they so desperately need. The free kit is available to anyone that requests it, and no disclosure of substance abuse is needed.
Lake Photo of the Week
Thin slabs and a few chunks of ice are becoming a thing on Geneva Lake.
