Kelso allows students to carry overdose reversal medication

Board member Rich Fletcher voted against the measure, and Leah Moore was not present at the meeting. Fletcher is also the chief of the Kelso Police Department.

Encouraging safety

The updated policy allows all staff members and students to carry naloxone, which is used to treat opioid overdoses, without being subject to disciplinary action for having it or administering it in good faith.

Naloxone is also commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan. It only affects opioid overdoses, but the Food and Drug Administration reports that it will not harm someone who is not experiencing an overdose.

The district’s previous policy only allowed people to carry naloxone if they either had a prescription or could show proof that they received training from a nurse employed by or contracted with the district.

The policy now also aligns with a state bill passed in March that requires school districts to have at least one set of overdose reversal medication available at each school. The district’s medication must be administered by a designated trained staff member.

Fletcher said he was concerned that allowing students to carry naloxone without exception would increase the likelihood of opioid use on campus and make it more likely for students not to report overdoses if they happen.

However, the other board members disagreed that that concern would outweigh the potential benefits of the policy.

“My hope is that students, if they feel the need to use (naloxone) on a friend, that they will be comfortable enough to come talk to someone and get help that way,” board President Jeane Conrad said.

Support for students

The same board meeting also featured a presentation by Hilander HOPE, a community group that aims to reduce youth substance use in Kelso.

According to the 2023 Healthy Youth Survey, the number of eighth and 10th graders in Cowlitz County who reported using alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other drugs within 30 days of the survey increased since 2021. However, the numbers remain lower than in 2018.

In 2023, 10.3% of county 10th graders reported using marijuana in the last 30 days, compared to 7.9% in 2021 and 16% in 2018.

Hilander HOPE partners with local organizations like the Kelso Police Department and Children’s Discovery Museum to spread awareness about the issue. In the future, it also hopes to partner with Kelso Public Library to offer backpacks with mental health resources that patrons can check out, Community Prevention Coordinator Betsy Berndt said.

At Coweeman and Huntington middle schools, ESD 112 Student Assistant Program Coordinator Heather Pullings leads a number of student groups related to substance use. Some are aimed at students who want to quit; some are for students who don’t use but want to learn about the topic; and some are for students whose family members struggle with addiction.

Pullings often works with Hilander HOPE on outreach and education.