Thank you for your coverage of the continuing tragedy of overdose deaths in Rio Arriba County in the April 30 edition. Your writers did a good job of highlighting many of the root causes of the problem, including endemic heroin use, increase in the misuse of prescription (legal) drugs, and the dearth of effective prevention programs in schools and treatment options for those with addictions. It was also refreshing to read about positive interventions that help to break the cycle of addiction and save lives, such as the
suboxone outpatient treatment at El Centro and the ability of first responders to save lives with Narcan.
I would like your readers to know about another vital resource for overdose prevention in Rio Arriba County. The New Mexico Department of Health and its community partners around the state provide overdose prevention training to health care workers, substance abuse counselors, and to opiate users and family members. In addition to information about overdose and prevention strategies, these trainings teach participants to perform rescue breathing and to administer Narcan. Since 2001, over 3400 individuals have participated in trainings and over 1000 successful uses of Narcan to reverse an overdose have been reported. Most of these overdose reversals are performed by opiate users or family members.
For more information on overdose prevention trainings or services, please contact Dominick Zurlo, Harm Reduction Program Manager for the New Mexico Department of Health, at 505-670-3885.
Jeanne Block
Santa Fe