AUSD to Begin Fentanyl Awareness Training in January

ALAMEDA, CA — Alameda Unified School District will host a Fentanyl Awareness Training for staff in January in an effort to help curb the deadly fentanyl epidemic that is sweeping across the nation and throughout the local communities.

"Starting in January, AUSD will be working to further expand public awareness and community preparedness by offering training to staff on administering a drug that quickly reverses opioid overdoses," the district said in its Family & Staff Newsletter.

The training for staff will include instruction on how to use naloxone which is easily administered via a nasal spray and can save the life of someone who is overdosing. It has no ill effects on someone who is not overdosing, AUSD said.

The move by the district comes after AUSD notified all families and staff of an alert regarding "rainbow fentanyl" issued statewide by the California Department of Public Health. The alert included links to resources about the dangers of overdosing on fentanyl, an opioid that is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine, especially among teens who may not realize they are taking it.

According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), fentanyl-related overdose deaths among youth ages 10 to 19 have increased 600 percent over the last five years.

Rainbow fentanyl "comes in the form of brightly colored pills and powders that look like candy and blocks that look like sidewalk chalk," CDPH said in the alert.

"Any pill (regardless of its color, shape, or size) that does not come from a health care provider or pharmacist can contain fentanyl, and can be deadly," CDPH said.

Community outreach regarding the dangers of fentanyl will be conducted by the district in January as well.

"We will provide families with a package of materials about fentanyl, including how to talk to children about the risks, how to identify an overdose, and where naloxone is available across our community," AUSD said in the newsletter.

"Alameda's first responders already carry nalaxone and are prepared to help us at our sites if the need arises," the district said.

AUSD plans to partner with the city of Alameda on a public awareness campaign to help teach as many community members as possible about how to avoid fentanyl and what to do if someone overdoses.

"We look forward to sharing these materials with our community to help all of us understand the risks of fentanyl and how to both prevent and treat overdoses."

What family members can do:

• Talk to your student about the dangers of buying medication online or from anyone other than a pharmacist. Both drug dealers and illicit on-line websites sell pills that look like prescription medications such as Percocet, Oxycodone, Xanax, Klonopin, Adderall, and Ritalin, which may be attractive to pre-teens and teens but may be laced with fentanyl.
• Show your student photos of rainbow fentanyl and urge them to avoid taking these pills from either friends or strangers.
• Direct your student to tell a trusted adult - such as a teacher, school counselor, or principal – if they see these brightly colored pills.
• If you believe your child is struggling with drug use, reach out to your principal or school counselor to get connected to resources.

To learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and what you can do, click here.