Through a grant provided by the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, efforts are underway at the Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) to expand the availability and usage of naloxone by providing kits containing this lifesaving drug to 1,300 Arkansas officers and deputies across the State.

A ceremonial check presentation and an initial “train-the trainer” program will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Criminal Justice Institute, located at 26 Corporate Hill Drive in Little Rock.

At 10:00 a.m., Curtis Barnett, President and CEO of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Patrick O’Sullivan, Executive Director of the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, will be on hand to present a ceremonial check to the Criminal Justice Institute. Representatives from the University of Arkansas System and the Office of the State Drug Director will also be in attendance.

Immediately following the check presentation, CJI is providing a naloxone administration “train-the-trainer” program to law enforcement officers and deputies representing 16 agencies across the State. These law enforcement instructors will then return to their agencies and train their officers and deputies to carry and administer naloxone.

On average, 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.¹ Deaths from opioid overdose—drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, heroin, and fentanyl—have more than quadrupled since 1999.² All but nine of 75 counties in Arkansas have overall opioid prescribing rates higher than the national average of 66.5 prescriptions per 100 people in 2016. With its annual state opioid prescription rate of 114.6 per 100 people,³ Arkansas was second only to Alabama. Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication that can be used to block the effects of opioids, especially in overdose, and has been effectively used to prevent deaths due to overdose. Currently, 60 lives have been saved in Arkansas with the administration of naloxone.

Agencies included in this grant are: Conway Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Jonesboro Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Springdale Police Department, Texarkana Police Department, Bella Vista Police Department, Hope Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, Paragould Police Department, Pope County Sheriff’s Office, Trumann Police Department, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The current funding will expand the number of officers and deputies capable of saving a life with Naloxone.

Upon completion of the training, officers will receive naloxone kits for their agencies. Each kit consists of two doses of Naloxone, nitrile gloves, a CPR face shield, hand sanitizer and a carrier.

^1. Rudd RA, Seth P, David F, Scholl L. Increases in Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2010–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 16 December 2016. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm655051e1

^2. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research (WONDER). Atlanta, GA: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2016. Available at http://wonder.cdc.gov

^3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: U.S. State Prescribing Rates, 2016. Available at

https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/maps/rxstate2016.html

Governor Asa Hutchinson today released $600,000 in Rainy Day funding for the state’s drug task forces, with approval of the Joint Budget Committee of the Arkansas General Assembly, providing additional resources to key law-enforcement agencies while federal funds are delayed.

Funding for the task forces is provided through the federal Department of Justice’s Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. However, funding for JAG grants has been held up in litigation over the enforcement of federal immigration policies, and funding for state’s law enforcement programs has been blocked.

“Our drug task forces are on the front lines of our fight against drugs in Arkansas,” Governor Hutchinson said. “As a former federal prosecutor, I saw firsthand the impact of the task forces on improved law-enforcement coordination and in reducing illegal drugs on our streets. This funding will provide a needed lifeline to law enforcement until federal funding issues can be fixed.”

Funding for the task forces was provided through the Governor’s Rainy Day Fund. These funds were released at the order of the Governor and with approval of the legislature. Governor Hutchinson said Wednesday that he will continue to work with legislative leaders and Arkansas’ congressional delegation to find a long-term solution to supporting the state’s drug task forces.

Arkansas Drug Task Forces allow local police, sheriffs and prosecutors to cooperate and coordinate in combating the sale of illegal drugs. Funding provided through JAG grants pays for equipment, salaries and operational expenses for 20 different task forces across Arkansas.