How local educators are tackling the fentanyl crisis

Local educators and organizations are focusing on prevention and awareness when it comes to the fentanyl crisis in Johnson County.

Educators and organization leaders convened for a roundtable on Tuesday morning at Shawnee Mission West hosted by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas’ Third District.

Like previous fentanyl roundtable discussions, Tuesday’s summit was closed to the public. In a press conference that immediately followed, Davids said the discussion focused largely on fentanyl education and awareness.

Superintendents from USD 232 in De Soto and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools were present, as well as administrators from Shawnee Mission and Olathe school districts.

All local school districts used Narcan at least once last year

• Davids said she learned that the represented school districts — Shawnee Mission, USD 232, Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools and Olathe — all used naloxone (brand name is Narcan) more than once in the 2022-23 school year.
• Specific data about how prevalent the fentanyl crisis is in schools was not discussed, Davids said.
• Instead, Davids said the conversation focused on how to reach students and families earlier than the need to administer Narcan.
• “This is really about saving lives,” Davids said. “Even hearing from administrators — this isn’t about punishment, this is about how do we keep kids safe, how do we keep families safe, how do we keep parents safe.”

Youth may be unaware other substances are laced with fentanyl

• Davids said she uses the term “fentanyl poisoning” because it sounds like there are a lot of inadvertent overdoses.
• That is because youth may be using other substances, including vapes or pills, that are unknowingly laced with fentanyl.
• This was the case for 16-year-old Cooper Davids of Shawnee, who died of fentanyl poisoning after taking a pill he thought was Percocet.
• Margaux Mueller, a roundtable participant and the director of prevention services at First Call Kansas City, told the Post that students use drugs experimentally or recreationally, and accidentally overdose on substances disguised as Xanax, Adderall or Percocet.
• “There’s really no way to know if a pill has fentanyl in it unless you test it with a fentanyl test strip,” Mueller told the Post.

How First Call educates about the dangers of fentanyl

• First Call Kansas City, an organization focused on prevention services for those impacted by substance use disorders, serves schools in Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Olathe.
• Mueller said First Call serves students in grades 3 to 12 via prevention presentations that can be tailored to their grade level.
• The school presentations discuss fentanyl’s potency, how fentanyl is unevenly distributed in pills, how to spot an overdose, and how to administer Narcan.
• Schools, including in the districts represented at the roundtable on Tuesday, are working with First Call to reach children proactively as early as kindergarten to second grade, Mueller said.
• “I’m actually hopeful to see all of these leaders come together to serve youth,” Mueller said. “It’s really, really encouraging that they acknowledge there is an issue and they want to be proactive about it and that they are relying on community partners that are experts in this field to kind of help them with the work rather than take it on themselves.”

Free Narcan and fentanyl test strips are available

• Mueller said the free Narcan and fentanyl test strips provided by First Call are made possible because of a federal harm reduction grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency.
• The grant also allows First Call to continue its work on overdose prevention, how to spot an overdose, how to administer Narcan, and providing fentanyl education to children.
• First Call cannot give students Narcan at school presentations, but students can stop by the center or request Narcan online — no questions asked, Mueller said.
• Schools that want to get in touch with First Call for presentations can call (816) 361-5900 and ask to talk to a prevention team member.