Mt. SAC’s Student Health Services department hosted their annual Staying Safe Together event on April 15, where students had the opportunity to get hands-on experience administering Narcan, and connect with on-campus and outside organizations.
“We’re super excited to get the word out, educate people, and see people’s enthusiasm and want to learn,” Jamie Solis, Director of Student Health Services said the morning of the event.
Student Health Services has been putting on their Staying Safe Together event for the last three years, aimed at helping train and inform students on how to administer Narcan to those who might have overdosed.
Events that demonstrate how to administer Narcan are now mandatory due to the Opioid Safety Act (Senate Bill 367) which necessitates college campuses distribute Narcan for free. Mt. SAC’s Student Health Services has been holding these events prior to this, without the legal obligation.
Narcan, officially known as Naloxone, is a nasal spray that helps to quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Narcan must be administered by a second party.
In order to receive the two free Narcan doses, as well as fentanyl testing strips that were being handed out, students had to walk through a six-part training. Students started with a check in, moved onto a Narcan administration demonstration and continued with a consent form.
“We want people to ensure that they’re understanding the information that we’re giving,” Solis said.
In the latter half of the demonstration, students were introduced to fentanyl testing trips and how to use them, asked to sign another consent form, and finally given two Narcan doses, as well as 10 fentanyl strips provided by Student Health Services.
Students were able to connect with the in office staff who are certified nurses and ask them questions about which services are provided on campus.
“Always feel free to give us a call.” Jonathan Tran, a nurse practitioner with the Student Health Center said. “Even if you’re not sure what you need … we’re here to answer any general questions. If it’s a service we provide then great. [Or] if it’s something that we can help guide you on where to go … we want to be welcoming to the students.”
Staying Safe Together has grown over the last three years, and that’s in part due “our ability to be able to collaborate with outside resources,” Candie Marin, administrative specialist for the Student Health Center, said. “Being able to offer and collaborate with outside resources and provide essential resources to the students attending this event because we do know how rampant drugs are now.” Some of those outside resources included the Caduceus Club, We Rise club, Basic Needs, Narcotics Anonymous, Project Resilience and the Safe Project.
Mt. SAC’s We Rise Club, a co-sponsor of the event, is an on campus club dedicated to offering a space for those in recovery from addiction.
“When we came [to Mt. SAC] there was no recovery on campus.” Henry Garcia, a member of We Rise club said. “So we started the We Rise club, putting on meetings on campus for people, and it’s all inclusive recovery,”
“If we are in recovery, they have the view of us as being dishonest people, people that are on the streets, people that can’t be trusted, but we’re here to say we used to be that person,” Garcia said.
For additional resources on fentanyl testing or Narcan administration, the Student Health Services office offers free supplies to students who have paid their student health fee and have watched a short demonstration video. To make an appointment call (909) 274 – 4400 or visit their office at building 67B room 410.
