City of Westbrook and Westbrook Partners for Prevention Collaborate to Make Naloxone More Accessible in Schools and Public Spaces
Westbrook, ME (January 30, 2024) – If you look in places around Westbrook, you may notice some new purple-labeled boxes around the city. These are ONEboxes™ and they are designed to save lives.
ONEbox™ is an emergency opioid overdose reversal kit designed to hold two doses of intranasal naloxone and provide on-demand training for bystanders to respond to an overdose emergency. Each ONEbox™ also contains a CPR mask, gloves and wipes, along with written naloxone administration instructions, a scannable QR code for video instructions, and an emergency training video available both in English and Spanish. The ONEbox™ is distributed by the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, a non-profit located in Charleston, West Virginia, whose mission is to reduce overdose deaths.
ONEboxes™ were distributed in Westbrook over the past few weeks and are now available at ten locations: Westbrook Middle School; Westbrook High School; Westbrook Performing Arts Center; Westbrook Memorial Library; Super 8 Motel; Westbrook Regional Vocational Center; First Baptist Church; Westbrook Warren Congregational Church; Westbrook City Hall; and Westbrook Community Center. These locations were identified with help from Westbrook Recovery Liaison Missy Esty.
Westbrook Mayor Michael Foley stated, “The City of Westbrook is proud to collaborate with Westbrook Partners for Prevention and other members of our community to distribute ONEbox toolkits. This initiative is an important step to provide easier access to naloxone and training to help reduce opioid overdose deaths.”
“While these types of initiatives are starting to emerge in other parts of the country, we are the first community to distribute ONEboxes in the state and also the first school district in Maine to have any type of naloxone first aid device,” explained Janet Lewin, Director of Westbrook Partners for Prevention, a community partnership that supports programs, environments and policies that address youth substance use prevention in Westbrook.
According to Dr. Peter Lancia, Superintendent of Westbrook Schools, “We are fortunate and thankful to have ONEbox in our schools and community. If ONEbox saves even one precious life, it has served its purpose well.”
Each ONEbox™ costs $199 and the initiative was funded through a partnership between Westbrook Partners for Prevention and the City of Westbrook, utilizing Opioid Settlement Funds.
Scott Linscott, Lead Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Westbrook, received a ONEbox to increase access to life-saving naloxone.
About Westbrook Partners for Prevention
Westbrook Partners for Prevention is a network of over 30 community partners, including educators, parents, coaches, health professionals, funders, business leaders, law enforcement, students, faith leaders, and other concerned community members working together to support Westbrook youth in making healthy, substance-free choices. Working together, they align efforts, share resources, and create a community infrastructure that not only supports youth substance use prevention, but also addresses the perceptions, social norms, and environments that can contribute to unhealthy behaviors.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Morel
Confocal Communications
michelle@confocalcommunications.com
(207) 329-6767
