Opioid Education and Response Plan
To help prevent and provide life-saving treatments for overdoses, free access to NARCAN and Fentanyl Tests Strips for Cascadia students, faculty and staff is available on campus.
About
Washington state has the highest per capita opioid overdose deaths in the Pacific Northwest and those rates have been climbing in recent years. Even worse, the rates for youth opioid deaths in Washington state have tripled since 2019 and doubled in cases from 2021 to 2022.
A state law passed in 2024 (HB 2122) requires every institution of higher education to provide opioid and fentanyl prevention education and awareness to students and to make Naloxone (generic name) and fentanyl test strips available to students.
If given in time, NARCAN (brand name) can save the life of a person who is overdosing from opioids by restoring normal breathing until emergency responders arrive. NARCAN is delivered as a nasal spray.
Fentanyl Tests Strips are able to detect the presence of fentanyl to determine whether drugs contain fentanyl. Their use can prevent an overdose.
Free NARCAN and Fentynal Test Strips
NARCAN and Fentanyl Test Strips are available at no cost. Identification is not required. NARCAN and test strips are available at the following campus locations:
Campus Safety
- LB2 street level
- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
HaWRC
- ARC-120
- 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday - Thursday
NARCAN only in AED (automated defibrillator device) units
- CC1 1st foor hallway between the information desk and the men's restroom
- CC3 main floor entrance inside ticket booth behind sliding barn doors
Education and Awareness
Students are encouraged to learn more about opioids by taking this free 20-minute training called End Overdose. A downloadable certificate will be provided at the end of the course. The course includes:
- Definition of opioids
- Recognizing symptoms of overdose
- Physiology of opioid overdose
- Response to opioid overdose
- How to administer NARCAN
- NARCAN side effects
Classic signs include:
- Pinpoint pupils
- Loss of consciousness
- Restricted breathing or not breathing at all
Other signs of opioid overdose may include:
- Blue fingernails or lips
- Limp arms or legs
- Vomiting or gurglind sounds
Please refer to free state course for full instructions. If you believe a person is experiencing an opioid overdose you should:
- Identify signs and symptoms
- Call 9-1-1
- Check for responsiveness
- Check for breathing and pulse
- Administer NARCAN Nasal Spray
- Perform rescue breathing until first responders arrive
- Give second dose of NARCAN after 2-3 minutes if no response
Volunteers will not be held liable for civil damages resulting from providing emergency care. RCW 4.24.300.
People will not be charged or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance if they experience an overdose or if they seek attention for someone else experiencing a drug-related overdose. RCW.69.50.315.
Videos
WA State Overdose Prevention and Response Training
from Stopoverdose.org