UK College of Nursing students partner with Voices of Hope, Madison Opioid Response and Empowerment to distribute Naloxboxes
Voices of Hope, a recovery community center based in Lexington that helps people in recovery stay in recovery, is partnering with the Madison Opioid Response and Empowerment (MORE) program to place ten NaloxBoxes within Madison County. Operated by Kentucky River Foothills, a local community action agency, MORE works to sustain the fight against opioid use disorder/substance use disorder in Madison County. They focus on prevention, recovery, and treatment.
According to Amanda Fallin-Bennett, PhD, RN, Voices of Hope program director and University of Kentucky College of Nursing professor, “For a business, having a NaloxBox is similar in concept to having an AED on the wall. It’s a heavy-duty box mounted to the wall that contains doses of naloxone (Narcan). These boxes provide the tools necessary to empower community members to respond to an opioid overdose.”
“Making overdose response tools like naloxone readily available to anyone who may encounter an individual experiencing an opioid overdose is critical in addressing Madison County’s drug crisis. Sponsoring NaloxBoxes is just one innovative approach we’re using to respond to the crisis and support those with substance use disorders. We want to ensure that everyone has access to this life-saving medicine,” stated Karen Atkins, MORE Communications Officer. The MORE consortium is supported by a larger network of community organizations and individuals that are committed to working collectively to drive change in how Madison County respond to the opioid epidemic.
This partnership also provided an opportunity for several UK College of Nursing students to learn more about the opioid crisis and the response efforts throughout the region. The students are part of the College’s health equity internship program, which provides students the opportunity to make an impact in local communities through public health service projects that focus on diversity, inclusivity and equity.
Dr. Hartley Feld, UK College of Nursing professor and health equity program coordinator, said “We are so excited to have this new partnership between our health equity interns and the recovery community. It is so important for future health care professionals to understand the overdose epidemic as part of the opioid crisis in our community and steps we can take together to prevent overdose deaths, meet people where they are, and connect people with resources.”
NaloxBoxes were placed at:
- Richmond Police Department
- The Dry Dock
- Madison Drug
- Madison County Detention Center
- Quality Quarters Motel
- Peddlers Mall
- Eastern By-Pass Shell
- Berea City Hall/Berea Police Department
- Berea Drug
- Diversity Cuts
If your business/organization has interest in obtaining a NaloxBox contact David Brumett, program coordinator, at (859) 303-7671 or david@voicesofhopelex.org.
About Voices of Hope
Voices of Hope is a Recovery Community Organization created by people in personal and/or family recovery in response to unmet needs in our community. Their goal is to enhance the quantity and quality of support available to people seeking and experiencing long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction. They aim to break feelings of isolation and shame, build strong relationships, and advocate for evidence-based solutions that work. Voices of Hope Recovery Community Center is located at 644 N. Broadway, Lexington. For more information on the organization and its programs, please visit voicesofhopelex.org
