Albany County has begun a new initiative to place the overdose reversal drug Narcan in more public places.
Speaking at the unveiling of a Narcan station at Guilderland Public Library on April 5, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said the synthetic opioid fentanyl was found in 82 of 132 overdose deaths in the county last year.
The Democrat called the ongoing opioid epidemic an extension of the mental health crisis that was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ve seen people that were in sobriety, didn’t drink for 20 years, 30 years, got off the drugs, or got off the alcohol, all took a step back. And that’s what I say to everyone, is that it’s okay to not be okay," the county executive said.
McCoy added that the Narcan stations wouldn’t have been possible without strong community involvement.
“It takes a lot for partners to really make this happen," McCoy remarked. "This is just one step of many, of tools in the arsenal that will help us prevent- prevent tragedies.”
The stations to be stocked by the county Department of Health are a partnership with Catholic Charities and other community organizations. Other units are already installed at the Washington Avenue Albany Public Library Branch, the Berne Library, the Capital City Rescue Mission and the University at Albany.
Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, Commissioner of the Albany County Department of Health, said that, in order to be effective, the public needs to understand that Narcan can only help.
“They can utilize this, there is not going to be a downside to utilization of this if you are concerned about someone. It cannot hurt someone if they don’t need it, but it can save a life if they do," Whalen remarked.
Whalen added that, in light of the whole country’s struggle against the opioid crisis, action needs to be taken at home as well.
“Prevention is the most effective strategy, so I urge parents to speak with your children, to have difficult conversations with them, to explore with them the dangers of taking pills," Whalen noted. "Prevention- if you have unused opioid medications in your- in your possession at home, dispose of them, if you don’t need them.”
Other counties in the Capital Region have launched similar efforts. Mary Fran Wachunas is Rensselaer Deputy County Executive and Director of the County Board of Health.
“Starting in 2022, Rensselaer County did purchase naloxone boxes through our opioid grant, and we did place them in areas that we thought showed through our data with high rates of non-fatal and fatal overdoses, so we did place one in a community center in Averill Park," Wachunas said. "We also placed three in the area of Second Ave in Troy, and we just recently placed one in the Lansingburgh School District."
Wachunas adds the county will be purchasing more shortly, saying every overdose in the county so far this year was fentanyl-related.
“All of our cases do have fentanyl in them. Xylazine has started to come to our county, so since 2021, we’ve had five fatal overdoses with Xylazine," Wachunas remarked.
