Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board approves Narcan coming to every school
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board members voted unanimously Tuesday to keep Narcan as an emergency medication in every school.
The Board of Education also discussed protocols for administering the anti-overdose medication and the guidelines for training employees to use it.
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State health data shows less than 20 percent of overdose deaths happen in people younger than 25, but CMS leaders reported Tuesday that nearly 720 incidents in which students were caught with controlled substances during the 2022-23 school year.
Parents and community members have been fighting to get Narcan on CMS campuses for months. In fact, district leaders sent a memo to school principals last August, discussing their intentions to place Narcan in all schools.
Jamie Hoffman, who owns Southeastern Recovery Center in Concord, said he sees the prevalence of young people falling prey to opiates daily. That’s why he believes adding Narcan in schools isn’t just a good idea, it’s a lifesaver.
“Off the top of my head, I can probably list off a dozen names where Narcan saved their lives,” said Hoffman. “I think it’s a necessary evil at this point. I mean, going back 10 or 15 years ago, I was one of a handful of kids getting high on opiates while in school.”
According to the district’s new policy, school nurses, school resource officers, and two additional CMS staff members in every school will receive training on how to administer Narcan.
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When someone suspects an overdose, they’ll call the school’s first responder team who will then bring a defibrillator kit that includes the Narcan.
Then, the responder will call 911, followed by the child’s parent/guardian, then administer the drug. Once the Narcan is administered successfully, the student will be referred to a treatment program.
Last school year, CMS lost two Hough High School students to overdoses in a 10-month period.
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