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When Stephanie Almeida, of Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction, heard Clay County and the surrounding areas had several accidental overdose deaths in less than two weeks, she knew she needed to do something. On Friday, March 19, she posted on Facebook she would bring Narcan to Clay County for free distribution the next day.
Right away, she had offers of assistance from Stacie Ledford of Rock Bottom Recovery and Support and members of local prevention coalition, People of Clay CARE- Coalition Allies for Recovery and Support. Even without a prearranged site, they distributed 200 kits in just over an hour and instructed each recipient how to use them.
Almeida will be returning to Hayesville Saturday, March 27, to distribute more free Narcan. She and representatives from both other groups, will be at Oak Forest United Methodist Church, at 990 Oak Forest Road, from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, March 27. Almeida will also train on what to look for in overdose situations.
Narcan kits are emergency opioid overdose reversal kits often used by family members or friends of someone experiencing overdose. One never knows when the need will arise, which is why some regions provide every citizen with the kits. Kelly Teague, advisor to People of Clay CARE said she used one in an unexpected place a couple of years ago. She was at the movies with her husband and saw a young teenage boy in distress. Even though she did not know the teen, she recognized signs of overdose and administered Narcan, which saved his life.
When Almeida came to Hayesville on Saturday, March 20, she had difficulty finding a place to distribute the kits. People of Clay CARE coordinator Regina Cothren and board member Debbi Tucker asked Huddle House who welcomed them to do the distribution from the parking lot. Oak Forest UMC offered space for Saturday, March 27. Pastor Bryan Wilson and the church hosts regular recovery programs and have partnered to bring educational events to Clay County. “Lives need to be saved to start the recovery process,” Wilson said. “The church is honored to host this effort by Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction, in collaboration with Rock Bottom Recovery and Support, and People of Clay CARE-Coalition Allies for Recovery and Education.”
Along with the kits, People of Clay CARE will provide free medication disposal kits, which can be an important tool to reduce substance misuse. There will be printed literature available and Hope4NC resources, as well.
The Narcan kits are not funded by any government agencies, but solely by donations to Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction. Visit Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction on Facebook.
For details about the distribution, call (828) 226-3048.