Training through the program recognizes and responds to opioid overdose emergencies using naloxone, also known as Narcan.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin attended a training session on Nov. 17.
“Fentanyl poisoning has become devastatingly prevalent in many areas of Virginia and this nation, and each of us must learn to recognize the signs and learn the tactics to potentially save a life,” Suzanne Youngkin said in a press release. “It’s time to bond together and support one another, and one way to do that is to be prepared for any situation, including an opioid overdose.”
The Chief Medical Examiner showed that 2021 was the worst year for fatal overdoses in Virginia, and 76 percent were because of fentanyl.
“We have a great deal of work ahead of us to reverse these trends,” Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel said in the press release. “Together we can deliver a system of care that reduces overdoses, fosters recovery and eliminates stigma.”