PHOENIX — The task force appointed to find solutions to the fentanyl crisis in Arizona schools met for the first time this week, announcing they plan to present a finished product to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) by the end of the year.
The task force, named STOP-IT (School Training Overdose Preparedness and Intelligence Taskforce), aims to prevent and respond to opioid overdoses among school-age children, especially those caused by fentanyl.
Together, the task force is working to develop a comprehensive school opioid overdose education and preparation "toolkit," and is looking at ways to equip Arizona schools with naloxone, or "Narcan," an opioid overdose reversal drug.
STOP-IT's goal is to have its toolkit in the hands of the ADE for review by the end of the year, with possible implementation in schools by early 2025.
It's a goal Scottsdale Recovery Center Nurse Practitioner Brittni Sunbury agrees with.
"I think that we have a responsibility to protect our children," she said.
In their Monday meeting, members from each of the four subcommittees the task force has been split up into presented their goals and approaches.
The four subcommittees are:
- Survey and Overdose Monitoring: This group will assess the current level of preparedness, education, and reporting of opioid overdoses in schools across the state.
- Best Practices for Staff/Student Training: This group will evaluate and develop curriculum and training materials for school staff and students on opioids, overdose prevention, and naloxone administration.
- Policy: This group will review and create standardized policies for school districts on naloxone availability and use, as well as update the emergency guidelines for schools.
- Opioid Antagonist Procurement: This group will identify and overcome barriers to obtaining and distributing naloxone in schools and explore funding options if needed.
STOP-IT is composed of more than 50 members from various sectors, including education, health, law enforcement, and community organizations.
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The CDC says fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine and can cause fatal overdoses even in small doses.
Arizona is the primary conduit through which more than 50% of all U.S. illicit fentanyl is trafficked, according to the ADE.
AZ Child Fatality Review Program data for 2021 and 2022 showed at least eighty children under age 18 died from overdose, with seven deaths in middle-school age children (11-14) and up to four in school settings. In addition, 132 non-fatal overdoses were reported in just 2023.
