In light of the current opioid epidemic, Virginia legislation is taking steps to prevent overdose and increase access to emergency care.
As part of a series of new laws which became effective July 1st – including a child marriage ban, increased gun penalties, and lowered interstate speed limits - Virginia now requires all state agencies to keep naloxone or similar drugs on hand. Timely administration of Naloxone or similar opioid-fighting drugs can save lives in the case of an opioid overdose.
In its coverage of the new Naloxone law, local news station Wavy.com spoke with Kelly Craven, executive director of Avenues Recovery Center at Norfolk. Avenues Recovery Center at Norfolk is a new drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located in Norfolk, Virginia, offering premier substance abuse treatment and a full continuum of care. The facility has an 80-bed capacity, and accepts most commercial insurances as well as Medicaid.
“I think that’s a great idea, especially considering that we have… such a huge problem with opiate overdoses in this area, as well as across the state,” said Craven, in regard to the new Naloxone law. “I think that any time we are out helping people, you never know who you could walk into or (when you could) find yourself in a situation where you’re going to need that… I think that it opens up the conversation for everyone to be very mindful of what we have going on in our community right now, and people having those resources to be able to help others.”
She shared that Naloxone is readily accessible on every floor of the new, 27,000 sq ft facility.
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