The Anaheim Secondary Council of PTAs hosted a Fentanyl Awareness Workshop on April 9 in partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) at the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) Professional Learning Center. Parents, guardians, students, and community members were educated on the importance of opioid abuse awareness as well as given information on naloxone — commonly known as NARCAN — a life-saving opioid overdose reverser.
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids account for 70% of deaths caused by drug overdose, cementing it as the nation’s “most urgent” drug threat. In recent years, fentanyl has posed a significant risk to youth, due to the high risk of overdose and the prevalence of it being mixed into both legal and illegal substances. According to the presenters, in Orange County alone, 91% of overdose deaths in 2023 have involved opioids such as fentanyl.
The workshop aimed to provide attendees with vital information on how to prevent and recognize the signs of opioid overdose, as well as emphasizing the importance of administering naloxone whenever an overdose is suspected.
“We want them [students and parents] to [gain] awareness of how prevalent drug use is, the dangers of fentanyl, and that you can do something to prevent death based on fentanyl if they come and get this information,” said Adela Cruz, AUHSD Director for School Mental Health and Wellness.
The OCHCA presenters began by focusing on the dangers of opioids and their relevance to the community by providing statistics and other information about overdose to the audience. Afterward, the organizers went over signs of opioid overdose and emergency responses, with a demonstration presented by Robin Rush, the founder of Recovery Road OC. Recovery Road is a nonprofit that assists the local community with addiction recovery support services. The demonstration included a live administration of a naloxone dosage, to exhibit its safety even when administered to those who are not overdosing.
“Our goal today is to teach individuals that it’s okay to administer NARCAN in the community if you see anybody that is in with an overdose,” said Vuthy Lam, Events Coordinator for the Office of Behavioral Health Services at OCHCA. “So, our goal is to partner with all school districts and schools across the county to really bring awareness through all communities…and provide the education and knowledge to the parents.”
To conclude, participants received free doses of naloxone to take home with them, including portable options that can be carried around easily. The presenters emphasized the importance of not being afraid to administer or give naloxone when they see someone suffering — as long as it’s safe — and educating others of its safety and importance.
“I think it’s important [for students to learn about naloxone] because you never know what’s going to happen. It’s always good to just have it and just to know what to do with it,” said Jaime Palafox, a student at Loara High School who attended the workshop.
OCHCA encouraged participants to spread awareness within their communities about the importance of naloxone administration and encourage others to carry it on them, as it could potentially save a life.
