Schools Respond to Youth Fentanyl Crisis
Key findings from teh Data on Drug Overdose Preparedness in Public Schools (2024-2025)
Here’s a summary of the key takeaways from the provided text:
* Staff Training: Nearly 7 out of 10 (70%) public school administrators report that some or all of their staff are trained to recognize a drug overdose.
* 30% have all staff trained.
* 44% have some staff trained.
* 16% have no staff trained.
* Fentanyl Education: 52% of public schools offer fentanyl education to students. The most common methods are:
* classroom instruction (30%)
* School assemblies (22%)
* Events for school families (22%)
* Naloxone Availability: 77% of public schools store naloxone (a nasal spray to reverse opioid overdoses) on campus. There’s been an increase in districts stocking naloxone, but not all are doing so.
* State Mandates: Several states now require schools to stock naloxone, including:
* Illinois
* Rhode Island
* Washington
* Arkansas
In essence, schools are increasingly taking steps to prepare for and respond to potential drug overdoses, particularly related to fentanyl, through staff training, student education, and access to the life-saving drug naloxone. however, there’s still a significant portion of schools with gaps in training and access.