LYNCHBURG, Va. – Anne Bond-Gentry with Lynchburg City Schools said school nurses and administrators have already been trained on how to use Narcan, also known as naloxone, a drug that stops opioid overdoses.
"We've been waiting to have access to it. And we'll get access to it through Central Virginia Health District. They'll write us a standing order, which will allow us to have it in school clinics,” Bond-Gentry, the coordinator for student services, said.
School leaders want to be proactive.
10 News Reporter Magdala Louissaint asked Bond-Gentry, "Have there been any incidents within the schools where a child has had a situation and Narcan wasn't available?" Bond-Gentry said, "No we haven't had any scenarios like that. No, we're just trying to be ahead of the game so there isn't a need, where we don't get caught and don't have something available for them."
Before making this decision, Lynchburg City Schools reached out to other districts to figure out how it works for them.
Roanoke County began stocking naloxone in high schools this year.
Roanoke city does not but has discussed it. Neither Salem nor Bedford County currently keep naloxone on hand but a spokesperson for Bedford County says they have reviewed it and revisit the discussion each year.
Next month, Lynchburg School Board members will make the final decision to supply middle and high schools with Narcan.
"I think the whole issue is we are in a fact being proactive, that we're trying to keep our kids safe. And if there are measures that we need to take to keep students safe, then that's what we need to do. And that's what we're prepared to do,” Bond-Gentry said.