New York City’s opioid crisis has hit a decidedly concerning spike in recent years and an overall increase in racial inequities when it comes to overdose deaths. To combat this, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has deployed community health workers to educate hotspot communities and youth about administering narcan, or naloxone, in case of overdose emergencies.
According to city data, “2,608 people died of a drug overdose in the city in 2021, an increase of 78% since 2019 and 27% since 2020, with evident disparities by age, race, poverty level, and neighborhood of residence.”
Opioids are defined by the state health department as prescription opioid pain relievers. This includes hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl and morphine, as well as illegal opioids like heroin, fentanyl, and opium. The incredibly potent opioid fentanyl was found in 80% of those drug overdose deaths in 2021. Rates of overdose death were still highest among Black New Yorkers and Bronx residents in 2021, per city data.
Other neighborhoods with high overdose deaths include parts of central Brooklyn, Harlem, and Staten Island.
Councilmember Sandy Nurse collaborated with DOHMH health community workers Moya Dewar and Jermaine Walker to teach a free narcan community training to residents at a local store in Brooklyn this past Saturday.
“I’m very committed to making sure that as many people [as possible] understand how to use narcan and how to support people who might be going through something that’s potentially life threatening,” said Nurse.
In 2022, the city passed legislation to distribute naloxone kits in businesses and nightclubs, lead trainings in overdose reversals, give out over 32,000 fentanyl test strips, launch a drug-checking pilot program, and set up four public health vending machines in the city to support low-barrier access to naloxone and other health supplies. Nurse’s district has a vending machine on Decatur Street and Broadway.
Walker grew up in Harlem with several family members who were and are living with substance abuse, she said. For her, the mission to save lives one class at a time is very personal.
“This is very important to me specifically. I have people that I care about that use,” said Walker. “I don’t want my family members or loved ones called outside their names. And I don’t want the stigma of it.”
In their class, Walker and Dewar noted that the opioid uptick in the city occurred mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. “Everyone was in their home, locked up,” they said. “Feeling isolated and alone.”
The health workers reviewed the effects of opioids, pain relievers, and narcan nasal spray on the brain and body; risk factors for habitual users; what to do in case of an overdose to prevent death or injury with the narcan spray; and how to contact help and report symptoms of a possible overdose to authorities or emergency services. Lastly, they handed out free narcan kits, fentanyl test strips, and a blue certificate for completing the class to attendees.
For more information visit nyc.gov/naloxone or nextdistro.org/nycnaloxone to get a free kit.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.