A partnership between the Alabama Stated Department of Education (ALSDE) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) will soon be providing Naloxone, an opioid overdose-reversing medication, to area high schools.

School officials will be authorized to administer the medication, which is applied through an auto-injector, and will receive training through a program developed by a host of agencies.

According to an ALSDE press release, Alabama is one of only a handful of states to develop a training program to allow school administrators to administer the drug to students in need.

According to ALSDE Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey the ability for unlicensed personnel to administer Naloxone at schools “has the potential to save lives and expand the area of influence usually reserved to nurses and other licensed personnel.”

“Our primary responsibilities are to keep our students safe and ensure they receive the best possible education to prepare them for life after high school,” Mackey said. “This important development speaks to that first responsibility of student safety. Of course, the hope is that none of our students will be in a situation where they need an injection to prevent them from a possibly fatal opioid overdose. However, we know that the opioid crisis is nothing unique to Alabama. This is an issue of national concern. It is fortunate that Alabama has taken such a lead in keeping our students safe.”

Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams agrees.

“Having access to Naloxone could save lives,” Williams said. “While we want to educate our scholars to live drug free, we cannot escape the reality that drug use is a concern in our community.”

According to the ALSDE press release, training will primarily focus on coaches and school administrators as opposed to classroom teachers because the medication can cause recipients to become aggressive as the opioids leave the body.

The program is available to all high schools in Alabama but is not mandatory.