Dutchess County’s Monthly Narcan Training Now
Being Offered Virtually
Poughkeepsie, NY… The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH)’s monthly Narcan trainings are now being offered virtually starting today, Wednesday, May 27th at 4:30pm. The training sessions are free and open to the public. Registration is required and participants will be provided a video conference link. To register, call Opioid Education Coordinator Lori Levine 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, at (845) 243-4428 or email llevine@dutchessny.gov.
County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Breaking Through the stigma of addiction and mental health disorder continues to be a priority for Dutchess County, particularly during these anxious times. While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to change the way we operate, it has not distracted us from our focus of getting people the help they need. I encourage everyone to take advantage of these trainings and be prepared to perhaps save a life.”
Led by DBCH staff, Narcan training sessions explain how naloxone (Narcan) works to reverse an overdose, what to do when an overdose is suspected, and how and when to administer the medication. Training sessions are approximately 30 to 40 minutes long, and participants will receive their own free Narcan kit.
Monthly virtual Narcan training sessions will be offered on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 4:30pm, replacing the traditional monthly drop-in training sessions at the Stabilization Center. Residents are asked to try and sign-up before 12 p.m. on the day of the training. The trainings will be offered on the following dates.
- May 27
- June 24
- July 22
- August 26
- September 23
- October 28
- November 25
- December 23
Private on-demand Narcan training via video calls or via telephone (for those who may not have access to a device with video conference capabilities) are also available and can also be scheduled through Opioid Education Coordinator Lori Levine at (845) 243-4428 or llevine@dutchessny.gov.
DBCH Commissioner A. K. Vaidian, MD, MPH said, “Preliminary data is indicating an increase in opioid overdoes in counties all across New York State, including Dutchess County. It is critical that we make sure the Narcan training is still readily available and that this life-saving tool gets into the hands of residents. I sincerely hope those individuals who call-in and learn to use Narcan, never actually have to use it.”
Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health continues to be operating and is available to those in need of Substance Use (SU) treatment. Individuals in need of help should call or text Dutchess County HELPLINE at 845-485-9700 to get proper referral and connection to services. Many of Dutchess County’s community partner agencies, including MARC, Lexington Center for Recovery, Turning Point, Hudson River Health Care and St. Joseph’s are also continuing to provide SU services, including opioid/Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).
