Today, Waukesha County officials are announcing that within the first two years of participation in the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Overdose (PDO) grant, 88 lives have been documented as saved due to administration of naloxone by professionals and individuals who received our overdose response training. The announcement coincides with National Prevention Week, which includes education and training events across Waukesha County.
“The PDO project has expanded collaborations between the County, our local partners, and individuals. Investing resources has strengthened relationships and improved public safety,” said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. “People countywide want to change the perception around an opioid drug overdose because they know that when you are trained to rapidly respond with naloxone, you can save a life.”
Two-year outcomes since the work of the PDO project began in May 2017 to present include:
About Waukesha County’s Plan to Fight the Opioids Crisis
Waukesha County receives $225,522 per year for five years by the state’s participation in the Wisconsin Prescription Drug/Opioid Overdose-Related Deaths Prevention Project (WI-PDO), a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The work focuses on the reduction of deaths and adverse events among individuals through major activities of (1) training first responders and other key community sectors on the prevention of overdose-related deaths, (2) purchasing and distributing naloxone to those trained, (3) direct outreach to overdose survivors within 72 hours to connect them to treatment and effective supports for them and their families, and (4) environmental scanning to identify opportunities for improved collaborative efforts.
Go towww.samhsa.gov and www.waukeshacounty.gov/overdoseprevention for information about the WI-PDO grant, trainings, and events. Follow DHHS on Twitter at @WaukeshaCoHHS.