Sacramento, CA - Sacramento City Unified announced plans to distribute Narcan to all school sites starting the week of October 10th. Thursday night, the SCUSD Board of Education voted unanimously to revise Board Policy 5141.21: Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions. SCUSD Health Services has obtained free Narcan to distribute to our school sites through the California Department of Health Care Services Naloxone Distribution Project.

This Board action is due to the dangers of opioid use impacting the community. Sacramento County has experienced 174 deaths due to opioid overdose or poisoning in 2021, impacting adults and children as young as 15. The California Department of Public Health recently released an alert about a new trend called “Rainbow Fentanyl” (an extremely potent and dangerous synthetic opioid), which is found in pills, powders and blocks in a variety of bright colors, shapes and sizes resembling sidewalk chalk or candy. Fentanyl continues to be a major contributor to drug-related deaths in California, including among youth. 

In response, SCUSD is adding another life-saving rescue medication to all our school sites and training staff to administer Narcan nasal spray during a suspected opioid-related emergency. All SCUSD school sites have a number of emergency and rescue measures at their disposal, including AEDs to restart heart rhythms, Epi-Pen auto-injectors in the case of a severe allergic reaction, and now Narcan nasal spray.

“We know that as adults and children cope with multiple traumas in their lives, before and after the pandemic, there has been a tremendous increase in substance abuse. Opioid related deaths can be prevented and by having broad access to Narcan, our schools will have the ability to educate our community and save more lives,” said Victoria Flores, Executive Director of Student Support & Health Services.

“Tonight, the SCUSD School Board took action against the frightening and heartbreaking opioid epidemic,” said SCUSD Board President Christina Pritchett. “I am proud that NARCAN will be distributed at all SCUSD school sites, and that staff will be trained to use this life-saving medication. This will help save lives in the event of an opioid-related overdose or poisoning on a school campus.”

SCUSD is urging families to learn about the signs of opioid overdose or poisoning and speak with children about the dangers of taking pills that are not directly prescribed for them by a doctor. See the “What Every Parent and Caregiver Needs to Know About FAKE PILLS” flier for more information and important tips for talking about fentanyl awareness and use:

• Encourage open and honest communication
• Explain what fentanyl is and why it is so dangerous
• Stress not to take any pills that were not prescribed to you by a doctor
• No pill purchased on social media is safe
• Make sure they know fentanyl has been found in most illegal drugs
• Create an “exit plan” to help your child know what to do if they’re pressured to take a pill or use drugs

For reference:

CDPH Communications Toolkit -  Rainbow Fentany

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