HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole Acting Chairman John R. Tuttle yesterday announced that all Board offices have been supplied with the life-saving opioid overdose reversal antidote Naloxone and all field supervision staff have been trained in the administration of this important anti-overdose drug.
“Our agents supervise offenders with heroin and other addictions and at times may encounter an emergency situation with a parolee,” said Tuttle. “The availability of this prescription drug equips our agents to potentially save a life.”
A Naloxone kit is now available in each Board office across the commonwealth. Agents who are part of the Board’s Fugitive Apprehension Search Team (FAST) and the Street Crimes Units are mandated to carry this life-saving drug.
“Our FAST and Street Crimes Units work in tandem with law enforcement and may be first on the scene of an overdose,” Tuttle stated. “Agents who have heroin addicts on their caseload may choose to carry the drug, and, importantly, they can educate family members about this important lifesaving resource that is available in their community.”
Naloxone, also known by brand names “Narcan” or “Evzio” is a prescription medicine that rapidly reverses heroin and other opioid overdoses.
Heroin and opioid overdose are the leading cause of accidental death in Pennsylvania, killing more individuals than those involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents. In 2013, approximately 2,400 Pennsylvanians died from a drug overdose.
In November 2014, Act 139 or David’s Law took effect, which made naloxone available to law enforcement, first responders, family members, friends or other persons in a position to assist an individual at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose. Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine signed a standing order in April 2015 giving law enforcement officers and firefighters the ability to access naloxone.
For more information on state parole visit the PBPP website at www.pbpp.pa.gov.
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