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OVERDOSE PREVENTION

Drug overdose is currently the leading cause of accidental death in the state of Hawai‘i. The Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center (HHHRC) works to educate the community on how to prevent overdose, recognize the signs of overdose, and treat someone experiencing an overdose.

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Note: the above link directs to an external website.

Naloxone

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The medication Naloxone has been proven to stop the effects of opioid overdose and save lives, and is legal to carry in the state of Hawai‘i.  Naloxone can be provided by HHHRC staff to any individuals who want it. Our naloxone program is free and anonymous, and available on O‘ahu, Kaua’i, Maui, and Hawai’i Island.  If you live in Hawai'i and want naloxone, please call us for assistance at (808) 521-2437.

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Trainings

 

HHHRC provides free trainings for social service providers, healthcare agencies, treatment centers,mental health specialists, law enforcement, and all other organizations that may need help within their agency to better understand and respond to the current opioid crisis.  Training options include:

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  • Overview of Opioids& Overdose Prevention and Response: Can be tailored for small groups or agency level, which is a 1 hour - 1.5 hour community training (no CEUs available) 

  • Reducing the Harms of Opioids: Opioids & Overdose Prevention and Response in Hawai‘i, which is a 4 hour training. (CSAC CEUs available)

  • Capacity Building:  Integrating overdose prevention strategies into your agency’s policies

 

Our overdose prevention trainings are also offered as part of the HHHRC Training Institute. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • About the Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center
    A one-hour presentation for community groups and partner organizations that covers the misison of HHHRC and the services we offer. This presentation is free and can be tailored to your organizational needs and interests.
  • Harm Reduction 101
    Harm Reduction is a philosophy and set of strategies for working with those engaged in potentially harmful behaviors. This interactive session will explore the tenants of Harm Reduction, provide insight and practice into the theories of Harm Reduction and provide resources to services working in the spirit of Harm Reduction. Training length: 8 hours
  • HIV, Hepatitis C, & STD 101"
    This full day training provides participants with an overview of HIV, viral hepatitis, and other common sexually transmitted diseases. Participants learn to identify the signs, symptoms, transmission methods, and risk factors for these diseases. Participants then learn how to integrate harm reduction methods, motivational interviewing, and sexual health counseling into substance use treatment and counseling. Participants also learn about the medical and social service resources available to people living with HIV, viral hepatitis, or those at risk for an STD. This class is highly interactive and provides participants of all learning styles an opportunity to engage with the material. Training length: 8 hours
  • LGB Cultural Competency
    HHHRC offers LGB Cultural Competency training designed to increase knowledge and skills to effectively interact with LGB people, as well as support and provide affirming care. This training also integrates the unique viewpoints of local and Hawaiian Cultures. As the largest LGB&T organization in the pacific, our agency can offer the most comprehensive and competent training when it comes to sensitive topics regarding sexuality.
  • Mental Health First Aid
    Mental Health First Aid is a 1-day course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. Mental Health First Aid is for anyone, but especially people in roles where they interact with the public, or where mental health challenges are more frequent.
  • Motivational Interviewing
    Motivational interviewing, a treatment approach developed by William Miller, has been well established as an effective way to promote behavior change in individuals. Following a brief review of the fundamental MI principles and micro-skills, this experiential Introduction to MI skill development training will focus on helping clients/patients to engage in change talk, and then make commitments to make behavioral changes based on goals that they have identified. Ample time will be devoted to real play and group practice sessions to enable training workshop participants to gain the skills necessary to elicit change talk from clients/patients with low levels of readiness for change, thereby increasing levels of motivation and moving them toward action to address their substance use issues. Training length: 8 hours
  • Opioids & Overdose: Prevention & Response
    Overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in Hawaii and around the U.S. This interactive session will explore the impact of opioids on the body and identify the risks for accidental opioid overdose. Participants will be certified to administer Naloxone, the opioid antagonist. 4 hours ADAD approved CEUs. Training length: 1 - 4 hours
  • Transgender Cultural Humility
    This training focuses on the importance of respect and dignity when interacting with people of trans experience. Utilizing the unique viewpoints of our Hawaiian and local cultures, we aim to increase humility and capacity for understanding when it comes to one of our most vulnerable populations. This training is perfect for service providers, frontline customer service workers, management, or anyone wishing to better understand people of trans experience and provide appropriate, affirming services or care.

How to Respond to an Opioid Overdose

STEP 1: CHECK FOR RESPONSE

Check to see if they can respond.

  • Give them a light shake, yell their name. Any response? Are they breathing?

  • If you can’t get a response, try a STERNUM RUB (rub your knuckles on their chest bone for about 10 seconds).

STEP 2: CALL 911

You don’t need to mention drugs on the call, stick to the basics –

  • Give the address and location

  • Say “my friend is unconscious and I can’t wake them up,” or “my friend isn’t breathing."

STEP 3: RESCUE BREATHING

Perform Rescue Breathing

  • Make sure nothing is in their mouth

  • Tilt head back, lift chin, pinch nose

  • Give a breath every five seconds

  • Keep going until help arrives

STEP 4: NALOXONE
  • Inject 1cc into the muscle of the upper arm, upper thigh, or upper/outer quarter of the butt.

  • Keep rescue breathing, if they haven’t started breathing on their own.

  • Give 2nd dose of naloxone if there is no response after about 3 minutes.


After naloxone, remind the person naloxone will wear off to make sure the overdose doesn’t come back.  If your friend is just in a heavy nod but is still conscious and breathing, make sure to stay with them, walk them around, keep them talking and moving.  Keep in mind you can slip into an overdose hours up to two after you got high.
 
If you have Naloxone, always keep it around just in case – you never know when you might need it.

What Not to Do If Someone Overdoses

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  • Don’t inject them with anything else, including water, salty water, coke, speed, milk.

  • Don’t let the person sleep it off.

  • Don’t put them in the shower (they could go into shock).

  • Don’t try to induce vomiting or get them to walk around. This only wastes valuable time.

  • Don’t put anything in their mouth if they’re having a seizure.

  • Don’t force them to eat or drink anything.

  • Don’t leave them in the street hoping that someone else will help them. Take them to the emergency room.

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Overdose Prevention Tips
 

  • Eat, sleep, drink water – keeping our bodies healthy can help reduce the risk of overdose.

  • Be careful if you mix alcohol, benzos/pills, heroin or methadone – any combo of these drugs can cause your breathing and heart to stop working.

  • Prepare your own drugs; know how strong your shot is and exactly what’s in it.

  • Always use with a friend or let someone know you’re getting high so they can check on you. Keep doors unlocked so help can reach you if you’re in trouble.

  • Have an OD plan with the people you use with. Empower yourself, learn how to do rescue breathing and get a naloxone kit. If you have a prescription for opiates, you can ask for a prescription for naloxone.  

  • Test out a new supply to see how strong it is – inject slowly or do less to start. Talk to others who copped from the same source.

  • Go slow if you’re just picking up after a period of not using, so a tester shot and have someone with you. Remember…you can always do more, but you can’t do less! 

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SHOP H3RC 

Want to support your favorite local harm reduction agency and score some cool swag at the same time?  Check out our new online shop for the latest H3RC merchandise. 

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