03/19/2024
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The Substance Misuse Task Force covered several vital topics at their monthly meeting. Dr. Cathy Gantz reminded everyone this Friday, November 27, 2020, Celebrate Recovery will be at Foundations Church located at 909 S. Poplar Street in Elizabethtown offering a light dinner from Giorgio’s for those in attendance. The meeting will begin at 6:30.

Celebrate Recovery is a 12-Step, Christ-centered ministry for those who are in recovery from addiction. Every fourth Friday of the month, Bladen County Government sponsors a light dinner for Celebrate Recovery.

Alyssa Kitlas, Community Overdose Prevention Coordinator from the North Carolina Division of Public Health gave a presentation to the task force. In her presentation, she informed members about the Good Samaritan law, Naloxone Access law, 2021 Injury-Free NC Academy: Harm Reduction as Transformative Practice, and the Syringe Services Programs Legalized.

Some points Kitlas made about each subject are as follows:

Good Samaritan law, GS §90-96.2

  • Immunity against prosecution for paraphernalia and certain drug possession charges (misdemeanor possession and felony possession of <1 gram heroin or cocaine) when calling 911 to seek help for an overdose
  • Must be calling in good faith
  • Must have reasonable belief that first one calling for help
  • Must give own name to 911 or law enforcement
  • Overdosed person receives protection as well

Naloxone Access law, GS §90-12.7

● Immunity for prescribing and administering naloxone

● Statewide standing order (available in pharmacies)

● Community distribution of naloxone

2021 Injury-Free NC Academy: Harm Reduction as Transformative Practice 

Injury-Free NC, a collaboration between the North Carolina Division of Public Health Injury and Violence Prevention Branch and the University of North Carolina’s Injury Prevention Research Center, is launching our 2021 Injury-Free NC Academy on Harm Reduction as Transformative Practice. The purpose of this Academy is to work with community-based organizations who are planning or have taken steps to establish an overdose prevention or harm reduction program and want to learn more about harm reduction principles.

Syringe Services Programs Legalized 

• Syringe services programs (SSPs) legalized by NC Gen. Stat. § 90-113.27, effective July 2016

• Any governmental or nongovernmental organization can start SSP

• Annual reporting to the Division of Public Health required

• DPH quickly pivoted to create the Safer Syringe Initiative to implement the law

View the full presentation here. 

Anyone needing assistance with substance abuse or mental health issues may call Eastpointe at 1-800-913-6109 for assistance.

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