Arizona Department of Education
Arizona Schools Boost Safety with 4,000+ New Overdose Kits
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona schools have recently been bolstered by the arrival of over 4,000 Narcan overdose kits. This initiative significantly adds to the existing stockpile aimed at combating the opioid crisis in educational settings.
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) facilitated this distribution as part of its School Training Overdose and Intelligence Taskforce (STOP-IT). State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne expressed strong support for the initiative, labeling the kits as “lifesaving” and indicating that more supplies will be provided in the future.
In his remarks, Horne emphasized the initiative’s success, stating, “The results have been excellent and represent my ongoing commitment to the health and safety of school-aged children.” He commended the collaborative efforts of the 20 medical societies, government agencies, and state programs that have endorsed the integration of STOP-IT resources in schools.
To date, ADE has distributed approximately 4,400 kits across 144 education agencies statewide. Launched in May 2023, the STOP-IT program aims to equip schools with essential resources to respond to opioid emergencies. In November 2022, ADE announced the initial dispatch of over 16,000 Narcan kits, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs (DEMA).
Schools interested in obtaining these kits can do so through ADE’s online application process, provided they receive district approval. ADE has committed to continually replenishing stocks of overdose kits to ensure that schools remain prepared for opioid-related incidents.
Horne highlighted the alarming opioid crisis in Arizona, noting that nearly 60 percent of fentanyl traffic into the country passes through the state. Maricopa County, in particular, reports the second-highest overdose death rate among youth. “Within the past three years, overdoses rose to the third leading cause of death in youth under age 18,” he remarked.
Since 2017, Arizona has faced over 1,300 non-fatal overdoses and 224 youth fatalities attributed to opioids. The year-to-date figures for 2023 show more than 1,900 opioid-related deaths and over 4,000 overdoses, with 26 of those deaths occurring among minors.
Last year’s records from the Arizona Department of Health Services indicated over 3,900 non-fatal opioid overdoses and more than 1,300 confirmed opioid deaths. Notably, the reported non-fatal overdoses among minors totaled 94, with fewer than ten overdose deaths reported this year.
The STOP-IT initiative operates with a broad coalition of partners, including the Arizona School Resource Officers Association and the Arizona School Administrators Association, among others. This collaborative approach emphasizes a collective commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic in schools across the state.