Putting the key to opioid overdose prevention in the hands of communities, not just clinics

Location is key when it comes to preventing opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota.

“We really believe that overdose prevention works best when it lives in the community and not just in the clinic,” said Allie Carey, director of programs at the Steve Rummler Hope Network, headquartered in St. Paul and serving Washington County, providing life-saving resources through advocacy, education, and prevention.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that having naloxone (brand name Narcan), the opioid overdose reversal medication, in places like restaurants, bars, libraries, and other businesses matters because most opioid overdoses occur in homes or public spaces, and placing naloxone directly where an overdose can happen allows for immediate intervention by laypeople, which is critical for survival.

“We’ve seen that caring and compassion, all of those things are habits that we can build together as communities over time, but it takes investment,” Carey explained. “It takes repetition, and it takes effort.”

Carey said it also takes access.

Working in partnership with communities impacted by the opioid crisis, the Steve Rummler Hope Network is focusing on areas like Washington County, where it can partner with businesses to expand access to naloxone.

The organization is named after Steve Rummler, a son, a fiancé, a drummer, a runner and also someone who suffered a severe spine injury and was put on prescription opioids. Rummler became dependent and then addicted to opioids, saying, at one point, “At first it was a lifeline. Now it is a noose around my neck.”

After years of battling his pain and substance use, with periods of treatment, Rummler turned to heroin. He overdosed and passed away on July 1, 2011.

The Steve Rummler Hope Network was founded within weeks of Rummler’s death and has been working ever since to prevent overdose deaths in Minnesota.

Among the program’s most robust offerings are its naloxone training and naloxone access point (NAP) program. NAP is a public place where anyone can get free naloxone. Carey said businesses in Washington County are encouraged to join the program.

“We will offer the resources (naloxone) from our end for free, and people from the community can go into those sites and pick up those resources with no ID, no cost, and no judgment because getting these things from a pharmacy or clinic is not always where people are going to feel most comfortable,” Carey explained.

Eligibility for the NAP program includes businesses open to the public. “So, a physical location with regular hours and the commitment that you will let us know when supply is low,” Carey described.

“We never want to risk sending someone to a place where they won’t get what they need.”

All approved NAP partners are identified on a statewide map on the Steve Rummler Hope Network website. “We have the support of Washington County right now, which is so incredible,” Carey said. “That is really allowing us this opportunity to focus on the area, recruit as many partners as possible, and engage as many locations in this work as we can.”

A map of NAP locations is on the Steve Rummler Hope Network website at: https://steverummlerhopenetwork.org. There you’ll also find details on how to become a NAP partner to increase naloxone access in Washington County. You can also access details on online or in-person training options for how to administer naloxone.