Nurses at middle and high schools in USD 232 in De Soto will now be equipped with Narcan, a nasal spray that aims to quickly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Why it matters: This comes about a year after the death of 16-year-old Cooper Davis, a USD 232 student whose parents say he died after taking a pill he didn’t know was laced with fentanyl, a powerful opioid.
The details: Alvie Cater, a district spokesperson, told the Post via email that the De Soto school board supported an agreement with the county to implement an “opioid antagonist protocol.”
- Cater said the district estimates the cost to be around $1,200 for all secondary schools, but it could be possible to get it at no cost to the district.
- Narcan would only be used in the event of an emergency and if someone shows the symptoms of an overdose, Cater said.
- School nurses have been trained to administer it, but administrators could also be trained as well.
- The agreement has yet to be approved with the county.
Bigger picture: The county, following a spike in opioid overdose-related deaths, is working with school districts to address the opioid epidemic by supplying schools with Narcan.
- At the beginning of the year, Johnson County announced it joined a national opioid settlement to get funding to address the opioid epidemic.
- The Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office listed opioids as the cause of 86 deaths in 2021, compared to 34 in 2019, according to a news release.
What they’re saying: “Board members acknowledge the increase in opioid overdoses in Johnson County and across the nation,” board of education president Ashley Spaulding said in a statement to the Post. “While we hope we never have to use Narcan, having it available in the event of an overdose emergency could save a life.”
More about Johnson County school districts and Narcan
USD 232 isn’t the first to take advantage of the Johnson County partnership in order to stock school nurses with Narcan.
- Last month, the Blue Valley School District’s board of education unanimously approved allowing secondary school nurses to be equipped with arcan i that district.
- Shawnee Mission and Olathe also already have Narcan available, as well.
Key quote: “We appreciate the county for working with school districts on this protocol,” Spaulding said. “More importantly, it will take all of us in the community, working together, to help increase awareness and education related to opioid overdose.”
