DAMARISCOTTA — Healthy Lincoln County is partnering with LincolnHealth to offer first aid kits to all postpartum families as part of the Perinatal Quality Collaborative for Maine (PQC4ME).

The statewide project spearheaded by Nell Tharpe, CNM and Dr. Jay Naliboff, provides postpartum families with a take-home first aid kit. The kit includes familiar first aid supplies as well as Narcan and information about local recovery resources.

Narcan is the brand name for the nasal injection form of the drug naloxone, an opiate antagonist that can immediately reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

“Narcan is safe and easy to use even without medical training, and it can quickly save a life” said Healthy Lincoln County, in a news release. “Increasing the familiarity and availability of Narcan is a critical strategy for saving lives and reducing the harm caused by overdose and substance misuse.”

Pregnant individuals are introduced to the project during prenatal visits. The intent is to familiarize patients with the first aid kit strategy, and Narcan in general, prior to their arrival at the hospital for the birth of their child. All staff members who work in the Women’s Center as well as the Labor and Delivery Unit of LincolnHealth, Miles participated in HLC-led educational sessions that covered addiction, harm reduction strategies, and the use of Narcan. In addition, the staff from Healthy Lincoln County worked directly with the maternity unit staff to provide more in-depth conversation regarding tactics to decrease the stigma associated with substance use disorder and educating families on the benefits of having Narcan available in all kinds of situations.

One of the goals of this project is to strengthen hospital and community connections that address substance use prevention, harm reduction, and recovery.

Healthy Lincoln County is licensed under Maine General Hospital to distribute Narcan and provide training about its benefits and use.

“With overdose deaths on the rise in Maine and across the nation, Narcan can now be thought of as a standard part of any first aid kit,” said the release. “All new parents deserve a free first aid kit as part of their new tool belt. HLC and LincolnHealth want Narcan to be part of that kit. Handing someone a Narcan dose to have on hand isn’t accusing that individual of having an addiction, it’s just saying: ‘Hey, you might run into someone who needs this and now you can help them.’ After all, helping others is the foundation of parenting.”

For more information on the project or to receive Narcan training and supply, please contact Will Matteson at wmatteson@healthylincolncounty.org.

207-622-7566 x256

About Healthy Lincoln County:

Healthy Lincoln County (HLC) is a non-profit, community health organization that brings together partners to ensure the residents of Lincoln County have equitable access to health. HLC focuses on a number of strategies to support community health including substance use prevention, harm reduction, nutrition and food security, active living, and mental health.