Fentanyl Awareness Forums Wrap Up At Loudoun County Schools

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — In 2023, four children in Loudoun County have overdosed from fentanyl, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office reported.

To spread awareness about the dangers of fentanyl in the community, the sheriff's office partnered with the school district to host forums and awareness sessions. The sixth and final awareness session occurred at Broad Run High School last week.

"Fentanyl is a particular danger due to its extreme toxicity, low cost of production, and availability in many easily disguised forms,” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said in a news release. “Here in Loudoun County, we are committed to keeping it out of our communities and schools, and to working with our partners to ensure greater awareness and treatment options."

In 2022, Loudoun officials reported 14 fatalities from 66 opioid overdoses. Children represented seventeen of those overdoses, including two of the deaths.

Jennifer Evans is the director of student mental health services for Loudoun County Public Schools.

"It is imperative that our community educate parents, provide strategies on how they can talk with their children, and let them know of the available school-based support and community resources," Evans said in a news release before the first session.

Each awareness forum included presentations by the sheriff, the tactical enforcement unit, the school system's Student Assistance Services, and the Williams Center for Wellness & Recovery.

Every school resource officer in Loudoun County carries naloxone, also known as NARCAN, to reverse the effects of an overdose as it happens. The school system also has its own NARCAN in each middle and high school. Officials said staff members are being trained to administer the nasal spray.

"Fentanyl is driving the rise in drug overdoses throughout the nation, especially among youth," the sheriff's office said in a news release. "The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that fentanyl contributes to the death of more Americans under 50 than any other cause – including heart disease, cancer, homicide, and suicide."

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a 24/7 hotline for people in need at 1-800-662-4357.