OK: How a new Oklahoma program aims to combat fentanyl overdoses in the state

As the number of overdose deaths from fentanyl continues to soar across the state, health officials are launching a campaign to make the anti-overdose medication Narcan easily available to the people who need it most.

Over the next few months, the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services officials will install vending machines across the state with Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips as part of its Harm Reduction campaign, which seeks to stop the stigma associated with asking for help regarding substance abuse.

Already, billboards have gone up across the city warning of fentanyl contaminating controlled substances.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid responsible for nearly 300 overdose deaths across the state in 2021, an increase from 47 in 2019. Naloxone, commonly referred to under its brand name Narcan, is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

In April, fentanyl test strips were legalized in the state after Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, introduced House Bill 1987 separating fentanyl test strips from drug paraphernalia.

“Substance abuse is something that’s plaguing the entire country, especially Oklahoma,” Dollens said. “We want people to get sober and on the road to rehabilitation, but in order to do that, they have to stay alive. Harm reduction campaigns, like the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’, is a great step forward in that direction.”

“It’s just this continued effort of saying, ‘OK. We can save lives. You can be a hero,’” Campo said. “People don’t use Narcan on themselves, so we’re saying, ‘It’s not for you. It’s for your neighbor. It’s for your loved ones.’”

A fentanyl test kit vending machine is seen recently in Oklahoma City.

Naloxone and fentanyl test strip kits

The locations of the vending machines aren’t yet finalized, but information on where to find them will be public on the campaign’s website, okimready.org, once they’re installed, Campo said.

“We think that placing these in strategic ZIP codes where there’s an immediate need is obvious,” Campo said “We want to continue the mission, but we’re really trying to build awareness early and then also with people who need it the most.”

The Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services placed dozens of billboards across the state advertising the Harm Reduction campaign, like this one seen near Interstate 40 and Meridian Avenue in Oklahoma City.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 40% of opioid and stimulant overdose deaths occurred while a bystander was present. Dollens said this statistic inspired him to keep Naloxone in his truck at all times.

The first Naloxone and fentanyl test strips vending machine will be installed at the Tulsa Day Center, a homeless shelter in Tulsa, Campo said.

Spanish instructions for Naloxone administration available

The packaging for the Narcan doesn’t include Spanish instructions, just English. However, the vending machines feature a QR code that takes people to the campaign website, which includes Spanish instructions and soon will feature video tutorials in Spanish.

The website currently features resources for substance abuse disorder treatment, prevention and education. Instructions for administering Naloxone include visual aids. Oklahomans also may order Naloxone for free on the site.

Along with video tutorials, Campo said the website also will function in Spanish by the end of June.

“We’re trying to give everyone all the information they could possibly want and use related to (Naloxone),” Campo said.

Campo said Oklahomans with a substance abuse disorder also may use the 988 helpline to obtain resources. 988 connects callers with trained behavioral health professionals that can assist people experiencing a mental health crisis. The helpline also offers assistance in Spanish, Campo said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11.7% of Oklahoma’s population is Hispanic or Latino. In Oklahoma City, 19.9% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, said easy accessibility to Naloxone, specifically among Spanish speakers, is important, especially in life-or-death situations like an opioid overdose.

“We’re a huge part of the population and growing,” Alonso-Sandoval said. “So making sure that we do have that access is vital.”

Campo said the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Department works with the Latino Community Development Agency and participates in various multicultural events, such as the Fiestas de Las Americas, to target people everywhere.

Legal barriers for Spanish accessibility

The department placed dozens of billboards across the state advertising the Harm Reduction campaign. Campo said none of the billboards are in Spanish, and there are no current plans to produce them.

Alonso-Sandoval said Oklahoma State Question 751 places a barrier when trying to implement Spanish resources within state agencies. State Question 751, passed in 2010, amended the state constitution to make English Oklahoma’s official language.

However, unless there is proof that another language is required, state agencies must use English only, according to House Bill 2083 and Senate Bill 905, or the Oklahoma Official English Language Implementation Act.

Alonso-Sandoval said the act created challenges when he looked into how to make voter registration documents available in Spanish.

“Right now, we’re trying to find ways to see how to overcome that barrier,” Alonso-Sandoval said. “It’s a lot more challenging to be able to undo something like that.”

By Alexia Aston

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