The Oak Park Public Health Department will conduct a free opioid overdose prevention training from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 17.
The event, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 611 Randolph St., is open to any interested community members. According to village officials, attendees will learn harm reduction, signs and symptoms of an overdose and how to respond.
One of the most important things attendees can learn is ways to respond with doses of the medication naloxone, which rapidly reverses opioid overdoses by blocking the effects, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Naloxone is safe with few side effects, according to village officials.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved naloxone in 1971. Narcan nasal spray, which administers doses of naloxone, was first approved in 2015 as a prescription. In 2023, it was approved for over-the-counter use.
According to village officials, giving someone naloxone will not cause harm if the person is experiencing another emergency besides opioid overdose. It has no adverse effects, according to officials, even on children.
Even after administering naloxone to someone experiencing an opioid overdose, it’s important to call 911 and stay with the person, village officials said, as the medication has a time limit of 30 to 90 minutes. Naloxone typically takes effect in two to three minutes.
In Oak Park, opioid overdose boxes are accessible in seven locations throughout the village. In addition to Narcan nasal sprays, the kits also have instructions on proper overdose first aid. Purchasing naloxone without insurance can be as expensive as $140 for two doses, according to village officials.
The kit locations can be found online. Most of the kits are always available, but one box in the Oak Park Public Library is only accessible during the library’s hours of operation.
According to village officials, 151 people in Oak Park had an opioid overdose in 2022, and that number has been on a general upward trend for the past several years. Any opioids, even those prescribed by a medical professional, can put a person at risk for a use disorder or overdose, officials said.
“It’s important to overcome the stigma around opioid use so we can openly speak about it with our friends and family and increase the number of people who have naloxone and know how to use it,” Oak Park officials wrote.
At the event on Aug. 17, participants will also receive an opioid overdose prevention kit with Narcan. Those interested in attending can email to register at health@oak-park.us.
From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Aug. 27, a member of Oak Park’s opioid taskforce will be at the Idea Box, located just inside the OPPL on the first floor, to answer questions and provide resources about overdose prevention, according to Oak Park’s public health newsletter. Additionally, Aug. 31 is Opioid Awareness Day, and Oak Park is working with other public health departments to produce a video to showcase the ways to prevent opioid overdoses.