Representatives of the Arkansas Behavioral Health Integration Network visited the Yellville Sheriff’s Department located 221 Randolph Road on Friday September 6th. The team was there to install a Naloxbox. Naloxboxes function similarly to Automated External Defibrillator (AED) boxes which are mounted to the wall in central locations in places like hospitals and police stations. Use of an AED can serve to reduce the risk of death by a cardiac event. Like an AED box, Naloxboxes contain the necessary tools to help save the lives of Arkansans.
The project is funded by the Arkansas Rural Opioid Use Team Education (A-ROUTE) grant. A-ROUTE focuses on preventing opioid misuse and overdoses, as well as promoting evidence-based treatment, and supporting recovery from opioid use. By increasing access to naloxone and offering training on overdose prevention, the team hopes to reduce opiate overdose deaths in the state.
Opioids, including drugs like heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl, and hydrocodone, are a significant cause of drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that over 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2021 involved opioids, with the number of overdoses in 2021 being ten times higher than in 1999. However, recent data indicates a decline in opioid overdose deaths, from approximately 84,181 in 2022 to 81,083 in 2023. This decrease suggests that educational programs and initiatives, such as this project, are positively impacting our communities.
