More than 250 locations across the state now have a way to easily access naloxone to help someone who is experiencing an opioid crisis. An initiative by the Opioid and Naloxone (ONE) Program located in the NDSU School of Pharmacy provides communities a way to help make tools available to stem opioid overdoses. The ONE Program has partnered with local public health units and other groups across North Dakota to make naloxone easily accessible in public areas where people gather.
The Opioid and Naloxone Education program also received a Trailblazer Award from North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Burgum at a recent Recovery Reinvented conference.
The self-contained ONE Boxes have been distributed throughout North Dakota, each containing naloxone in nasal spray form for opioid overdose rescue. The boxes are located in accessible areas where community members gather—event centers, sports arenas, city buildings, churches, fairgrounds, convenience stores, major employers and more.
A ONEboxTM contains all the tools needed to safely provide life-saving naloxone to someone experiencing an overdose. The self-contained boxes include a built-in self-playing video inside the box which takes a person through simple, quick steps for rescue during an opioid overdose crisis, administering a nasal dose of Narcan.
“ONE Boxes are just like an AED machine used to help in cardiac arrest,” said Heidi Eukel, PharmD, professor at NDSU and ONE Program team member. “The boxes contain a life-saving medication which can easily be given as a nasal spray to someone who is experiencing an overdose. The built-in video takes the person responding to the emergency through the steps of a rescue.”
Using the naloxone nasal spray cannot cause harm to a person, so a Good Samaritan assisting a person with a ONE Box does not have to be hesitant about using the naloxone.
Through local public health units’ existing community contacts, many local public health representatives in the state have placed boxes in locations in their communities. They also use the boxes to educate communities and stakeholders using the built-in video.
“The ONE Box is a great tool to have available for our communities,” said Holly Brekhus, First District Health Unit executive director covering multiple North Dakota counties. “The fact that the training is incorporated into the box is very convenient,” said Brekhus.
“Our goal with the ONE box is to have them located everywhere in our community where an overdose may occur. This includes community event centers, hospitality venues such as bars and motels, workplaces, schools, etc.,” said Brekhus. “The more ONE boxes that are placed in the community, the more people will learn about overdose prevention and the importance of having it available,” she said.
According to Heidi Eukel of the ONE Program, ONE Boxes can be crucial in emergencies.
“Like an AED or a fire extinguisher – we hope to never have to use one, but it’s there in case of a severe emergency,” said Eukel. “ONE Boxes help to ensure that naloxone is accessible where you need it, when you need it. During an emergency, minutes matter.”
Examples of locations where ONE Boxes have been installed include:
- Schools, churches, and libraries
- Bars
- Campgrounds and golf courses
- Community centers
- Hockey arenas
- City buildings (courthouse, city hall, social services, post office)
- Fairgrounds
- Recovery centers
- Retail stores: thrift stores, convenience stores, grocery
- Assisted living facilities
- Fire departments
- Agricultural elevators
Each ONE Box contains: two doses of nasal naloxone, CPR mask, gloves, and wipes.
The ONE Box outreach efforts are funded through a grant from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. For more information about the ONE Program, visit https://one-program.org/ and see a demonstration here https://youtu.be/zNmPTr-z1yE
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