Natick Plans Information Campaign After Rise In Overdoses

NATICK, MA — Natick health officials are planning a public outreach campaign after overdoses spiked in the town recently. The outreach program was discussed Tuesday at a meeting of the Natick 180 coalition.

So far in 2019, 38 people have overdosed, and three have died — including two people on the same day. There were 33 overdoses in 2018, and no other year has had that more than that since record keeping began in 2014, according to Natick police.

The Natick 180 action team on Tuesday discussed a plan to distribute information about how to prevent overdoses. In the past, Natick has handed out leaflets advertising the city's Narcan program, and that Massachusetts has a Good Samaritan law, which protects people who call 911 to report an overdose from criminal prosecution.

Health officials want to begin distributing information at local churches, the Morse Institute Library, MetroWest Regional Transit Authority buses, supermarkets, the Natick Mall, and other public locations.

The city's Narcan program is one of the most important pieces of combating overdose deaths, health officials say. Under the program, anyone can get two free 2-milligram doses of Narcan nasal spray, and get trained on how to use it.

But social service workers and police reported Tuesday that 4 milligrams is sometimes not enough. People who overdose on strong synthetic opioids like fentanyl can require up to 8 milligrams of Narcan, Natick Sgt. Chad Howard said on Tuesday. The cause of the uptick in overdoses is unclear, but officials do believe fentanyl is a factor.

Natick began giving out Narcan in early 2018, and has since then given out 105 kits, including 85 to individuals.

Natick 180 program coordinator Katie Sugarman said that the group would begin reaching out to other town officials, like the fire chief and superintendent, soon to put the public information plan into effect.