SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 School Board will discuss a policy for the administration of Naloxone (Narcan) in the case of opioid overdose at its meeting on Monday.
The Reno County Health Department has a Suspected Drug Overdose Dashboard and from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, there were 680 overdoses and 46 fatalities in the county.
Naloxone was given approximately 129 times during that same time frame.
District Nurse D'ana Henlein said in a note provided to the board for Monday's meeting, "I would rather be safe than sorry. I'd be ecstatic if we got the Naloxone (Narcan) for our buildings and never had to use them, but I would forever feel responsible if something happened and I lost someone because I didn't have it."
School districts across the state are approving such policies, with Salina, DeSoto and Topeka Seaman all approving new policies this fall. Buhler USD 313 approved a policy in Oct. 2021. Schools can get Narcan for free.
The USD 309 school board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at South Hutchinson Elementary at 405 South Poplar in South Hutchinson.