Charleston County EMS Begins “Leave Behind” Program to Save More Lives

Charleston County EMS (CCEMS) has begun a community Naloxone distribution program to address the opioid epidemic by providing training, two doses of Naloxone, and additional information and resources to family and friends of overdose patients before leaving the scene of overdose calls. Naloxone is used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergency situations.

“Traditional overdose treatment is focused on the patient and often the people in their support systems are left with no knowledge of how to help in the future, so this program will help fill that gap and empower them with ways to help their loved one,” said EMS Director David Abrams.

While a patient is being cared for by first responders on the scene of a possible opioid overdose, a CCEMS staff member will conduct a brief, real-time training with the family and friends of the person who may have overdosed on an opioid. At the end of the training, the friends, family, or other bystanders will be provided with a package containing two doses of Naloxone, information about opioid addiction, treatment, family support, and contact information for the local mental health and addiction centers. This program will allow CCEMS to reach almost 1,000 people per year who may be at risk of opioid overdose and the people in their support systems, which will provide the path to treatment and information that they may not have had previously.

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