EpIC to Host Naloxone Distribution Event in Orange County on Save A Life Day
By: Orange County Communications Department
On September 26, Orange County will participate alongside localities from over 30 states in hosting a free naloxone distribution event as part of Save a Life Day. Naloxone - better known by one of its brand names, Narcan - is an easy - to - use nasal spray that works to reverse opioid overdoses. This medication was approved for over - the - counter distribution in 2023. Orange County ’ s event is being organized by the Epidemic Intelligence Council (EpIC), a cross section of community leaders and citizens whose mission is to collaboratively address substance misuse in Orange County by strategically using resources to initiate action, including education, addressing root causes of addiction, identifying resources, and supporting sustainable recovery.
First organized in 2018, EpIC is currently undergoing a revitalization of its initiatives. Strategic discussions and asset mapping exercises have been conducted regularly since the start of the year, with the goal of identifying gaps in service and coordinating the right partnerships to fill those gaps. Organizing distribution events as part of Save a Life Day is one avenue to help save lives right now while connecting those in need with resources to support long term recovery. All Orange County Save a Life Day event attendees will receive one naloxone kit, an in - person training, and information about local resources. Equipped with this medication and the knowledge of its use, participants will be better prepared to save the life of an individual experiencing an opioid overdose. Those interested in receiving a naloxone kit can visit one of the following locations on Thursday, September 26 between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Virginia Department of Health 450 North Madison Road Orange, VA 22960
Parking Lot Grass Patch at the Wilderness Center Shopping Center 5483 Germanna Highway Locust Grove, VA 22508 Those with questions should contact Ashley Jacobs, Management Analyst, at (540) 672 - 3313 or ajacobs@orangecountyva.gov. Save a Life Day started as a two - county pilot in West Virginia in 2020, and by 2023 spread to all 13 Appalachian states. This year ’ s event will include all states east of the Mississippi River. For more information about Save a Life Day, visit www.soarwv.org/east.
Page 5 | September 2024
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