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The Lexington School Board heard an informational presentation April 9 about a proposed policy to keep Naloxone at city schools.
Naloxone is a medication to treat opioid overdose, often sold as a nasal spray under the brand name Narcan.
Lexington City Schools does not currently have a policy on maintaining Naloxone or training staff to administer it.
“Lexington City Schools is one of very few school divisions in our area that does not currently have a policy in place for storing and using Naloxone in the event of suspected opioid overdose,” Superintendent Rebecca Walters told the School Board.
“And the information that came out, and the more instances that had happened in schools around our region, we felt it was important for us to step in and be as prepared as we can be,” she said.
Walters said that the policy has the potential not only to benefit students, but also parents and community members coming into the schools.
“So being able to have that on site, I think, is really important. So the policy here would allow us to provide and maintain, onsite, the medication,” she said.
If approved, the policy would allow Lexington schools to order Naloxone, and detail where and how it is stored. It would also mandate training for some of the staff.
“The training is what allows us to have the information we need to be able to dispense Naloxone in an emergency situation,” Walters said. “Several nurses and several of our administrators have already been trained in the last month or so.
“Our nurses, substitute nurses, and administrators would be expected to receive formal training, and administrators would be encouraged, and all school staff would be offered the training if they are interested in being trained,” she said.
The School Board is expected to vote on this policy at its May meeting.
“We hope that we never have to worry about this or use this in any way, but I think it is appropriate for us to consider the policy,” said Walters. “I will bring that to you next month for your consideration.”
