English Catholic schools have new drug safety protocol

Concern about the growing popularity of Fentanyl in the Ontario drug scene has prompted one school district to introduce a new proactive safety protocol for its schools.

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) hosted twin training workshops May 30 for district staff on the use of Naxolone, an antidote for opioid overdose cases. The workshops were held at CDSBEO facilities in Kemptville and Cornwall.

The workshops were part of a new proactive drug safety protocol the CDSBEO has set up in response to what a district news release described as “the growing Fentanyl crisis” in the province. The workshops saw a selection of CDSBEO staff members from each of the district’s schools learn how to administer Naxolone to anyone suffering from an overdose of Fentanyl or some other type of opioid drug. The district has also purchases Naxolone kits for distribution to all CDSBEO schools for use in case of an emergency.

“We hope that these kits will never need to be used,” stated William J. Gartland, CDSBEO education director, “but in the event that they are needed, the Naloxone will help to buy time for someone experiencing an opioid overdose until first responders arrive.”

Jennifer Adams, harm reduction coordinator for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is providing special kits and staff training for the schools in its area for use in dealing with emergencies involving Fentanyl overdose. District Health Unit, was part of the workshop training group, providing instructions to CDSBEO participants. She described the use and abuse of opioid drugs like Fentayl as a growing crisis situation for Ontario.

“Opioid related deaths are a leading cause of death in Ontario,” Adams stated. “These deaths are outnumbering motor vehicle collision deaths by a long shot in our province, and there has been a 463 per cent increase in opioid deaths between 2000 and 2013. In 2015, there were 735 opioid deaths in Ontario, and 201 of these were from Fentanyl.”

The CDSBEO and other school districts, both English and French, have also partnered together with regional health units to host a series of public information sessions for students, parents, staff, and others as part of a community awareness effort on substance use and abuse. The Prescott-Russell sessions, through support from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, took place in May. More information on drug awareness is available through the EOHU and also through the OPP and regional school district websites.