Manatee County Overdose Prevention & Education Program (OPEP) supports increasing the capacity of the Manatee County government to distribute and administer additional naloxone - a medicine that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses. OPEP is funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) First Responders Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA) grant.
OPEP aims to reduce opioid-related overdoses through three primary activities:
- Increase availability, supply, and distribution of naloxone, a lifesaving opioid reversal medication in Manatee County
- Engage the Manatee County population through training and education
- Increase access to support and, ultimately, treatment for those who need it most through peer support
The four-year grant funded program is overseen by a steering committee consisting of agencies currently engaged in efforts to prevent drug overdose and subsequent deaths.