The Center of Excellence for Latino Health at Clara Maass Medical Center will host training sessions on Thursday, October 18, 2018 to educate the community on the use of Narcan. The sessions are held in response to a national call from the Surgeon General of the United States emphasizing the importance of Narcan, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
There will be two sessions – at 1:30 p.m., a session will be offered in Spanish and a second session at 3 p.m. will be offered in English. Both sessions will be held in The Learning Center at Clara Maass Medical Center, 1 Clara Maass Drive in Belleville. The sessions are free and open to the public.
The training sessions will be facilitated by Queenie Reda, MSW, Health Educator and Jose A. Cruz, LCSW, MBA, Addictions Consultant and Mental Health Clinician from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Free Narcan kits will be distributed to those in attendance.
The Center of Excellence for Latino Health is committed to improving the wellness and vitality of the Latino community through outreach, education and meaningful collaborations. Most importantly, this multi-faceted program is aimed at engaging and empowering individuals to live healthier.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Narcan nasal spray can temporarily stop or reverse the effects of an Opioid or heroin overdose. Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, as well as the illegal drug heroin. The spray is approved for use in adults and children and can easily be administered by first responders, family members or caregivers. Drug overdose deaths, driven largely by prescription drug overdoses, are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States – surpassing motor vehicle crashes. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the number of drug overdose deaths had steadily increased for more than a decade.
Space is limited and registration is required. To register, contact Sarah Bonilla, MPH at 973-450-2996 or sarah.bonilla.rwjbh.org.
Parking will be validated for all guests. Light refreshments will also be available.
