With National Recovery Month coming to a close, local agencies and community organizations gathered Thursday to discuss how access to naloxone is one of the keys to addressing the opioid crisis.

In a virtual discussion hosted by the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region, folks from Tapestry, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and the North Quabbin Community Coalition celebrated the 43 public access naloxone boxes in the region and laid out how those, as well as the community partnerships needed to implement them, can help the region continue to combat the opioid epidemic.

“We’re going to draw upon our history of relationships and culture of collaboration to knit together a comprehensive response that’s region-wide,” said Opioid Task Force Coordinator Debra McLaughlin. “Our goal is to ensure every community has at least two ‘nalox boxes.’”

The naloxone boxes are distributed along the Route 2 corridor from Monroe — the first town to sign on — to Athol. Boxes also exist in Ashfield and Whately.

“It’s this great thing of bringing more people in and I think that’s a step of local empowerment to address the opioid crisis,” said Maureen O’Reilly, a health educator and epidemiologist with FRCOG.

“Increasing naloxone access is increasing access to lifesaving medication,” she added. “It really is the tip of the pyramid [to addressing the crisis]. … All of that is working to reduce stigma, which we all know saves lives.”

While naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is commonplace when discussing overdose response and prevention today, Tapestry Harm Reduction Program Director Liz Whynott emphasized that was not always the case. In 2007, the state Department of Public Health launched a “novel and forward-thinking pilot program” to begin the distribution of naloxone to communities, opening the door to training agencies on its use.

Prior to that move, “it was almost impossible” to provide naloxone training to external agencies, let alone the general public as is seen today, according to Whynott.

“All of that history of naloxone not being acceptable is rooted deep in stigma, discrimination and thoughts about how people use drugs,” she said. “It’s been amazing over the past 15 years to see the evolvement of that.”

North Quabbin Community Coalition Executive Director Heather Bialecki-Canning added that the network of agencies’ goal is to have naloxone training and access available in the “same way you would get CPR training or the same way you would approach any other public health issue.”

The initiative to have Narcan be accessible in seven of the nine North Quabbin communities has also led to further partnerships and discussions. New Salem and Warwick are the two remaining communities without one. “Narcan will always be recognized, at least by the North Quabbin Community Coalition, as this wonderful jumping-off tool that’s allowed us to have these community conversations,” Bialecki-Canning said. “It’s been a really wonderful tool to have Narcan available.”

The evolution of the response is continuing in Franklin County and the North Quabbin with the introduction of CONNECT’s mobile outreach van. CONNECT stands for the Community Opportunity Network, Navigation, Exploration and Connection Team. It is a 24/7 response team that works with people and their families in the aftermath of an overdose.

With the help of grant funding, CONNECT has been able to distribute 3,592 naloxone kits to first responders and community members for first aid use since July 1, 2021. It has already distributed 431 kits since July 1 of this year.

“The mobile outreach program’s goal is to provide resources, prevention items and services,” said CONNECT Outreach Manager Nicole St. Hilaire, adding they want to “get the message of recovery out there.”

When the program launches, the van, which will have two peer recovery coaches staffing it, will be stationed outside designated locations for 90 minutes to conduct outreach. Naloxone, standard first aid and health products, as well as backpacks with items such as cold weather gear, blankets and other products for homeless individuals will be available.

Planned sites for the van include Charlemont’s and Ashfield’s food pantries, the South County Senior Center, the First Church of Deerfield, the Athol Salvation Army and the Wendell Country Store/the Good Neighbors Food Pantry.

The key, St. Hilaire added, is to bring this van to events to reduce the stigma of addiction and recovery.

“We’ve heard about that from everyone here, that’s such a need and it will go a long way in order to help people live better,” she said. “We hope to reach folks before they overdose and keep them safe and help them out.”

For more information about the Opioid Task Force and its partners, visit opioidtaskforce.org.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.