Salem To Increase Opiate Overdose Training, Followups

SALEM, NH — The Salem community will soon be offering more follow-up help and resources to those who have had opiate overdoses. Last week the Selectmen approved accepting a grant aimed at connecting at-risk people with support and treatment. As part of the grant, all members of the Fire and Police departments will undergo training on opioid use disorder and compassion fatigue, and first-responders will have a team that follows up with a patient who suffered an overdose. Community training on how to use narloxone is also included in the grant.

EMS Director Douglas Devine said as of end of April, Salem officials responded to 23 opiate-related incidents so far this year and have administered narloxone 19 times. One person died of an opiate overdose in Salem so far this year. Last year, opiates were responsible for 14 deaths in Salem, he said.

Many of the overdose patients have been local — last year, 65 percent of overdose patients in Salem were town residents, said Devine. He said the town began to see a big uptick in opiate overdoses starting in 2014, and although the number of incidents slightly decreased last year, so far this year it looks like opiate incidents are starting to appear more frequently again.

Last week, the Selectmen voted to accept a $105,829 grant as part of the NH FIRST project. The federally-funded program comes to Salem through the New Hampshire Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Devine said that the federal government has dedicated $3.1 million to New Hampshire over a four-year period, and the grant is currently in year two of the program.

The purpose of the grant is to connect at-risk individuals with support, including treatment and recovery. After responding to someone who had an opiate overdose, a police officer and a firefighter will follow up with that person within 24 to 48 hours to offer resources for help, said Devine.

"I personally have had numerous responses where people are saying they're looking for that help. I think that's been a biggest disconnection is how to get them into that help," said Devine."Over the past couple of years it's been one of the biggest frustrations for us as providers is that we take them to the hospital and there's always a disconnect as to what happens to them from there."

As part of the grant, all Salem police and firefighters will undergo training on opioid use disorder and compassion fatigue, said Devine. The first-responders will also provide CPR training and distribute overdose kits to those who are at-risk. Throughout the year, the Fire Department will also be hosting community training on how to use narloxone, which counteracts effects of an overdose.

Because of Salem's location to the state border, the town will also act as a liaison between Massachusetts and New Hampshire programs on battling opiate-related incidents, said Devine.

The grant does not cover any regular services and will not be affecting other emergency responses in town, he said.