Learning to REVIVE! Victims of Drug Abuse

Communities in Southwest Virginia have some of the highest rates of death per capita due to opioid drug overdoses in the Commonwealth. As a result of the educational work of a number of organizations, including One Care of Southwest Virginia, in 2013 the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $10,000 to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to begin a pilot program titled Project REVIVE! The pilot project covers the City of Richmond and parts of Southwest Virginia, including Lee, Wise, Scott, Dickenson, Buchanan, Tazewell, Russell and Washington counties, as well as the cities of Norton and Bristol.

The purpose of Project REVIVE! is to put naloxone - an antidote that stops the effects of an opioid overdose for a short period of time - in the hands of opioid users and those of their family and friends so that in the event of an overdose, the overdose victim can be revived and obtain proper medical treatment.  Communities in other states where similar projects have been undertaken have experienced dramatic changes in rates of death due to drug overdoses and a reduction in the number of drug-dependent citizens.

Because One Care of Southwest Virginia has been a leader in providing education and advocacy with respect to drug abuse issues, DBHDS partnered with One Care to provide train-the-trainer courses in the intranasal administration of naloxone.  So far, trainings for the public, patients and family members have taken place in Clintwood, Big Stone Gap, Cedar Bluff and Abingdon. I had the opportunity to participate in a training session in Abingdon this month, and it was a powerful educational experience.

In the training we learned the signs of a drug overdose, how to contact emergency services, how to provide rescue breaths, and how to administer intranasal naloxone.  We also learned that the effects of naloxone last a short period of time so getting medical attention to the overdose victim is absolutely necessary. 

We never know when a loved one may become addicted to prescription pain killers or heroin, or may forget that they have already taken their prescribed dosage of pain medicine and overdose.  What we do know is that saving someone’s life following an overdose gives them the opportunity to seek long-term drug abuse treatment. I hope folks and organizations across the Commonwealth continue to raise awareness and lead prevention efforts to combat the deadly epidemic of drug abuse.