The University of Texas at Austin is working to get a drug that stops people from overdosing on opioids, such as heroin and prescription pills, into the hands of resident advisors and campus police. The student government recently approved a resolution, and advocates are working to get a standing order at the school鈥檚 pharmacy.
Stephanie Harmborsky with at UT Austin said there are still more steps to be taken, but the big plan here is to get a ready supply of naloxone 鈥� a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opioid use 鈥� at the school鈥檚 pharmacy. Hamborsky said the school鈥檚 pharmacy and a doctor at the school are both on board, but there are still other things to work out.
鈥淲ill there be a case of naloxone in all dorms? Or will UTPD have a certain number of vials on hand? So, [we'll be] kind of figuring the logistics of how that will work,鈥� she said.
UT School of Social Work graduate student James Walker, who also works with the , said the order would be helpful to those immediately responding to an overdose on campus.
鈥淭he idea is to empower those first responders to student crisis,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭hose people who are most likely to wander up when somebody is in a bad situation, even before emergency services would get there.鈥�
Walker said he hopes others schools follow their lead and do the same.
鈥淲e did create this initiative to act as a template and an example with the idea that it would be adopted by a satellite campus of UT and other college campuses as well,鈥� he said.
Last year, state lawmakers passed a bill aimed at increasing access to naloxone in an effort to address the state鈥檚 ongoing opioid crisis. UT Austin鈥檚 wellness department is also creating a committee aimed at tackling the problem on campus.
