BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Newspaper sales boxes in Mecosta and Osceola counties have been repurposed to hold a life-saving emergency antidote for someone suffering from a drug overdose.
The Central Michigan Recovery and Education Network (CMREN) is a federally-funded program at Ferris State University (FSU) that's collaborating with regional partners to place dispensers containing an overdose antidote, Narcan (Naloxone HCI), on campus and at Big Rapids and Reed City locations.
According to CMREN project director Gail Bullard, a professor of Health Administration at FSU's College of Health Professions, the best way to combat overdose deaths is to have Narcan (Naloxone HCl) available for emergency use.
“CMREN has provided boxes for Corewell Health, the Michigan College of Optometry Building, the Big Rapids Community Library and the Osceola County Health Department offices in Reed City,” Bullard said. “A next step to protect our campus community will be to place ‘NaloxBox’ acrylic wall-mounted dispensers wherever there is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in place.”
She said Naloxone nasal spray is provided for free by the state of Michigan to qualified parties, which includes FSU's CMREN program.
“Narcan saves lives, which is so necessary due to the rise of opioid use, including drugs like Fentanyl, which continues across the country, through direct or unintended means,” Bullard said. “Our area is not immune and Naloxone being readily available is essential.”
CMREN was established in 2019 and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) with a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant in 2020.
FSU's Board of Trustees accepted a four-year, $1.2 million Rural Health Development grant from HRSA in a special meeting on June 21 and funding began July 1.
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