Overdose education and harm reduction programming is offered on campus free of charge to the University community

“We hope this is information you’ll never need to use, but if you do, you have it now.” This is the closing message of a very informative educational video made available to all students, faculty, and staff at the University of Nevada, Reno through WebCampus.

According to Dean Müge Akpınar-Elci, School of Public Health faculty, university students and CASAT are working to make naloxone more available. Created by the Center for Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) in conjunction with the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence at the School of Public Health, the training is a first step designed to provide opioid overdose education and address naloxone (often best known for its use). under the brand name Narcan) and other harm reduction tools available on the Nevada campus.

Individuals can complete the training online, take a quiz to verify their understanding of the content, and receive a certificate of completion via email. With this certificate, they can visit one of three locations around campus and anonymously pick up a harm reduction kit. Although the certificate must be shown, no record is kept of who received the kit, ensuring anonymity and removing barriers to accessing these life-saving medications and tools in the community.

“The purpose of the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence is to develop and disseminate evidence-based and research-based education and provide technical assistance to address opioid use, abuse and overdose affecting Nevada communities.”

The kit includes a number of items to help reduce opioid overdose and harm, including two doses of naloxone, test strips to detect certain substances such as fentanyl and xylazine, a CPR mask and gloves, as well as information on community resources.

The overdose education and harm reduction program on campus launched in August 2024. Students of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) drafted a resolution about a year and a half ago calling for greater availability of Narcan on campus. The program is funded by a state-administered federal grant, and CASAT serves as the distributor of opioid overdose information; this mission has been fulfilled in Nevada since 2018.

“This is truly a grassroots movement started by the student body,” said CASAT assistant director Michelle Berry. “We’re not doing this because we think opioid use is high on campus. We want to make sure it’s available in places where there might be any use cases. We want people to feel prepared if they encounter a situation.”

Although our campus-specific data does not indicate widespread opioid use, CASAT, the School of Public Health, and the Student Health Center work diligently to prepare any individual to take life-saving action in the rare event that they witness a crisis. May be associated with exposure to opiates.

Student Health Center professor and medical director Dr. “It only takes one misuse and one misuse for an overdose to occur,” said Cheryl Hug-English. “Unfortunately, we have seen in the past years that people thought they were using a substance, but this substance was mixed with something else, resulting in death. Counterfeit pills are circulating and people do not know what they are taking.”

The program aims to help anyone who is trying to prevent harm from recreational use or who is already addicted to opioids such as heroin, oxycontin, tramadol, codeine or fentanyl. The hope is that as more education about opioid abuse disorder and opioid overdose is disseminated, fewer opioid-related deaths and tragedies will occur.

“While naloxone will not cause further harm when administered to someone experiencing an unknown overdose, it will not help someone who has overdosed with any substance other than opioids. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to call 911 before doing anything else,” Berry said. .

Available anytime through WebCampus, the online training covers basic topics like what opioids are, recognizing an overdose, implementing life-saving actions, and the legal protections offered by the Good Samaritan Act. Harm reduction kits are available at the Student Health Center, the Mathewson-IGT Information Center and the School of Public Health in the Edna S. Brigham Building.

“It’s important to know that naloxone will not completely stop an overdose. Berry said it works for a short period of time during which the person can be taken to the hospital for appropriate life-saving treatment. “That’s why calling 911 is a critical first step no matter what.”

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) offers a similar education and harm reduction program, and Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) is working to replicate the program currently offered at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Learn more about Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence.