Thursday, April 24, 2025
4/24/2025
First Responders and Community Partners Overdose Prevention Project - In response to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s Funding Opportunity Announcement, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) in Lexington, KY is submitting an application for a project entitled, First Responders and Community Partners Overdose Prevention Project (FRCPOPP). In 2016, there were 162 overdose deaths in Lexington, KY. The number of overdose deaths experienced in Lexington has increased 100% since 2013 when the city experienced 81 overdose deaths. The same is true for naloxone administrations by the Lexington Fire Department (LFD). The LFD administered 653 doses in 2013 and 1,550 doses in 2016. In response to this epidemic,the Lexington Police Department began carrying naloxone in 2016. This project will work with the community to strengthen the prevention and intervention infrastructure in an effort to reduce overdose fatalities. The project will strengthen the infrastructure by achieving three major goals. First, the project will provide training on the signs and symptoms of an overdose and how to administer naloxone to the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff. Following the training, naloxone will be distributed to the deputies who come in contact daily with those experiencing an overdose. Equipping the Office of the Sheriff with naloxone will likely reduce the number of overdose deaths in Lexington. The second component of goal one is to supply the Fayette County Health Department’s (FCHD) Needle Exchange Program (NEP) with naloxone to distribute to those who request it. The NEP at the FCHD had a naloxone distribution component until April 2017 when funding for the program ended. From September 2016 to April 2017, 925 naloxone kits were distributed to exchange participants. Approximately 50% of that naloxone accounted for refills given to participants who administered the lifesaving drug on someone experiencing an overdose. Refills were given to prevent future fatal overdoses. The NEP reaches those at great rick of overdose, there for it is an ideal place for naloxone distribution. This program will undoubtedly reduce the number of overdose fatalities. Second, the project will establish processes, protocols and mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment and recovery communities. This will be done by developing strategies to reach those at greatest risk of overdose and those who have survived a previous overdose and by providing education on grant activities to local substance use disorder treatment and recovery services, harm reduction programs, emergency departments, health clinics and other key partners that may serve as referral sources and/or treatment or recovery service providers for those in need of services. Additionally, policies and strategies will be implemented, using promising and evidence-based practices, which increase treatment and recovery services admissions to those that survived an overdose and to those at risk of overdose and are ready to go to treatment by providing referral to substance use disorder treatment and recovery services and to provide access to naloxone to project participants that do not enter services after surviving an overdose. Third, the project will provide education on Kentucky’s Good Samaritan Law that permits bystanders to alert emergency responders to an overdose or to administer naloxone without fear of civil or criminal penalties. Although the law has been in place since March 2015, many in the community are unaware of it and others are afraid to utilize due to misinformation regarding the law. Successfully implementing the above mentioned goals will assist in the reduction of overdose fatalities in Lexington, KY. The project will be evaluated by the University of Kentucky’s Center on Drug and Alcohol Research.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).