Henrico officials to host town hall meeting, hands-on class addressing opioid crisis

The opioid crisis is wreaking havoc across Central Virginia, and Henrico County is no exception. County leaders are hosting a series of town hall meetings to address the issue and offer solutions. The county will also work with Henrico Fire officials to host a free class on using naloxone to help overdose victims in June.

Tuckahoe District Supervisor Patricia S. O’Bannon will host a Tuckahoe Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 24th to discuss the epidemic. The meeting will be held at 6:30 PM at the Tuckahoe Area Library, located at 1901 Starling Drive. Residents who can’t attend can watch a live YouTube stream. O’Bannon will be joined by Dr. Susan Fischer Davis, Director of the Henrico Health District, and members of the Henrico Heroin Task Force.

Henrico officials will take things one step further and also offer a free class that could potentially be lifesaving.

The county’s fire department alongside the Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services will present a free class Tuesday, June 13th on how to administer naloxone to potentially save the life of someone who has overdosed on opioids.

The “Revive! Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education for Virginia” class will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Mental Health & Developmental Services’ main offices at 10299 Woodman Road.

The class, developed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, is open to all Henrico residents, although participation will be limited to the first 50 registrants.

Naloxone is available in Virginia from pharmacists without a prescription, and it can temporarily reverse the toxic effects of an opioid or heroin overdose, allowing time to dispatch emergency responders. Naloxone is available in a generic form and under the brand name Narcan. The “Revive!” class will provide hands-on instruction on how to administer the drug in its nasal spray form.

To sign up for the class, call 804.727.8574.