The Hamilton County Coalition will hold a series of virtual opioid overdoses prevention trainings during the Coronavirus pandemic. The eight county-specific trainings will be live and will demonstrate how to use Narcan and prevent opioid overdoses.
The series will begin Monday at 4 p.m. for Bradley County residents and will continue monthly until in-person trainings are deemed safe. Other counties included in the series are Hamilton, McMinn, Polk, Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie and Rhea. To register for a live training session, follow this link on the Hamilton County Coalition webpage https://www.hccoalition.org/save-a-life-training-events or call 423-305-1449.
Below is the schedule for the live trainings:
• Monday, March 30 at 4 p.m. (Bradley County)
• Monday, April 6 at 6 p.m. (Hamilton County)
• Monday, April 13 at 3 p.m. (Polk County)
• Tuesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. CDT (Marion County)
• Wednesday, April 15 at noon CDT (Grundy County)
• Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. (McMinn County)
• Thursday, April 16 at 1 p.m. CDT (Sequatchie County)
• Monday, April 20 at 6 p.m. (Rhea County)
“One thing we are aware of is that overdosing will not stop because of COVID 19,” Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist Vanessa Spotts said. “Our objectives are to continue providing for families, friends and individuals associated with someone who has Substance Use Disorder. Additionally, we want to ensure that all first responders in all of the counties we support continue to have access to the state provided training so that they can with confidence recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose and the necessary response.”
Those in attendance of an overdose prevention training will:
• Learn how to identify the signs of an overdose;
• Learn what to do in critical moments;
• Learn about alternative pain management; and
• Learn about treatment & recovery resources.
Attendees will also receive training on how to use Narcan — the life-saving narcotic overdose reversal medicine. Upon completion of the training, arrangements will be made to distribute an overdose prevention kit containing a unit of Narcan and a verification certificate.