State efforts aimed at preventing overdoses and deaths tied to prescription drugs and opioids are changing but continuing, as federal funding is coming to an end.

The WDH Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) first received the Grant to Prevent Prescription Drug/Opioid Overdose-Related Deaths from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2016.

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This grant ended on August 31, and Wyoming was not selected to receive another round of funding.

While it was in effect, much was accomplished with this grant, as stated by Rachel Nuss, SAPP manager with WDH:

  • More than 8,000 doses of NARCAN®, a temporary opioid overdose antidote, were distributed to law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, pharmacies, schools, the University of Wyoming, and other organizations.
  • Thousands of drug deactivation bags and hundreds of locking pill bottles and boxes were purchased and distributed throughout the state.
  • More than 950 Wyoming residents have received online NARCAN® administration training through SAPP to date.  

Official WDH records show annual deaths attributed to overdoses in Wyoming have increased between some years and decreased at other times.

Nuss said SAPP continues to fund county prevention specialists who work on a variety of substance abuse prevention services in 22 of Wyoming’s 23 counties.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is also available throughout Wyoming and is a proven treatment of opioid use disorders in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies.

 

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