Holyoke receives $12,000 grant for naloxone, training

Date: 11/25/2014

BOSTON – Holyoke was the only city in Western Massachusetts to receive a grant to equip its first-responders with training for opiod overdose response training and naloxone units that can be used to treat overdoses.

Anne Roach, spokesperson for the Department of Public Health told Reminder Publications the city received $12,770 out of the $600,000 fund to pay for the pilot program.

According to Roach, the number of overdose reversals have increased since Gov. Deval Patrick made naloxone more widely available to first-responders in March.

According to the Department of Health, “During the spring and summer of 2014, the average number of Massachusetts residents in opioid treatment programs increased by nearly 1,000, or almost 6 percent, showing that more people are getting the treatment they need.

“During the spring and summer of 2014, nearly 700 opioid reversals were reported thanks to bystanders using nasal naloxone; double the number during the same period of the previous year.

“During a similar time period, nearly 7,000 new bystanders enrolled in the Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program, an increase of nearly 30 percent.”

Patrick said, “We have made strong progress addressing this epidemic in our communities by increasing access to treatment and life-saving naloxone. By partnering with our first responders in cities and towns, we can keep this progress going for years to come.”

The Virginia-based pharmaceutical company Kaléo has offered to donate 4,000 naloxone auto injectors to the state.