Coaches, students, and parents learn about reducing Opioid overdoses
Each October, Delaware observes National Substance Abuse Prevention Month by “going purple” with the program Delaware Goes Purple. The program empowers the community to stand up, to erase the stigma and support people who need it most. This year, Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long and NFL Hall of Famer Randy White teamed up with Delaware coaches and student athletes to launch the Coaches vs. Overdoses initiative. The initiative is part of a national campaign focused on proactive prevention education and combatting prescription opioid abuse among students. Lt. Governor Hall-Long, who chairs Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium, stressed the impact of substance use disorders on communities and families. Developed by DisposeRx and the Safety Blitz Foundation, Coaches vs. Overdoses initiative aims to educate coaches, student athletes of all sports, parents, and students about opioid dangers while promoting available prevention and treatment resources.
The initiative was announced at football games for Thomas McKean High School and Caesar Rodney High School in coordination with the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) but included components before, during and after the games. Before the games, “Prevention Playbooks” were distributed to the homes of students to educate about prescription opioid misuse.
Before kick-off, Lt. Gov. Hall-Long, Randy White, and DisposeRx’s Denis Connaghan were on hand to show support for the program, the students, and families. During the games, public service announcements featuring pro athletes like former student and NFL hall of Famer Randy White address the crowd. After the games, DisposeRx in-home drug disposal kits were distributed to promote proper medication disposal. DisposeRx partnered with the Delaware Department of Education and the Delaware State Police to distribute the kits. The initiative builds on previous substance use awareness efforts in collaboration with the DIAA and high school basketball teams.
