Most fatal opioid overdose in the history of the state.
Amid this high death rate, the Vermont Department of Health said that sites distributing the opioid overdose Narcan antidote could pause asking recipients to fill out a form. The form, which some distributors have described as “intrusive and offensive,” is subject to revisions as providers seek to clarify their data collection policy.
The state health department released the model in 2016 to evaluate the effectiveness of Narcan Program . Kelly Dougherty, Deputy Commissioner of Health, said officials wanted to collect data such as whether the brand of the nasal spray — commonly known as naloxone — was being distributed in areas with the most overdoses and whether recipients had used it before.
“Where are our distribution efforts most successful, where are the gaps, and the only way we can find out is if we collect some data,” she said in an interview.
Dougherty emphasized that people searching for Narcan from community distribution sites are not required to fill out the two-page form. Among the questions: the person’s drug use status, if they ever experienced or witnessed an overdose, and what medications led to the overdose.
Dougherty said the Department of Health has instructed distributors to give out refills of Narcan before asking the recipient if they are willing to answer some questions.
The person is already in his hand. They are free to say ‘No, thanks’ and walk out the door. “Our priority is to get Narcan into the hands of as many people as possible.”
Last year, the program provided nearly $738,000 from Narcan to Vermont’s 115 community distribution sites, said department spokesman Ben Truman. The data collection also helps the agency provide accountability for how public funding is spent, he said.
The Department of Health said it is in the process of reviewing the form, with input from the Agency’s Trauma and Resilience Coordinator, to remove questions that may traumatize respondents. Dougherty said the new model is expected to be released in May or June.
Paul Dragon, director of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, one of the state’s largest anti-poverty organizations, believes the model should be scrapped.
“We don’t think there should be another format in place,” he told VTDigger. “We advocate distribution without fear or judgment.” The organization serves about 22,000 people a year.
In early March, six of his office staff underwent training with the state health department to become an official Narcan distribution site. The message they received was that filling out the first part of the Narcan form was a “requirement” for people wanting to spray, said employee Abby Germaine, who participated in the training.
Since they started using the form six weeks ago, Jermaine said they ask for an average of one person per week to get three packs of Narcan. Previously, customers were picking up two to four packs per day.
She was worried that some customers might not speak English well or have the reading and writing skills to fill out the form, however she was embarrassed to ask the staff for help.
The dragon who wrote a VTDigger’s last comment Describing the form as intrusive and insulting, he said the paperwork would stand in the way of providing equal access to the life-saving drug. He specifically cited people who traditionally distrust authority, such as people of color, people with homelessness and those with criminal records.
Meanwhile, the state’s latest state Opioid Mortality Report It shows that of the 17 Vermonters who died of an opioid overdose in January, 13 used fentanyl and seven took heroin. Users often take a combination of medications.
Fentanyl has dominated opioid deaths in Vermont since 2016. Some users seek a strong synthetic opioid, while other users don’t know it’s mixed with the substances they buy, according to information from public health experts, law enforcement officials, and addiction recovery advisors.
The county with the highest death rate in January was Orleans County, with 11.1 deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with a statewide death rate of 2.7. Second place was Lamuel County, 7.9, and Addison County at 5.4.
Health officials have repeatedly advised users and their companions to always carry Narcan. Distribution sites can be found at State Ministry of Health website .
The division also distributes Narcan through other local partners. They include recovery centers that offer “harm reduction kits” and emergency responders who carry “leave kits” if they encounter people on an emergency call showing signs of opioid abuse. The administration said the sets are given without the optional Narcan form.
Since 2016, pharmacies in the state have also been under instructions to dispense Narcan even when people do not have a prescription for it. The standing order Truman, a health department spokesman, said insurance companies and Medicaid were able to cover the cost of Narcan so people didn’t have to pay out of their pocket.
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