Fentanyl and Opioids: Preventing Overdoses and Related Emergencies at K-12 and Higher Education Campuses. Fact Sheet

Despite the elevation of the opioid crisis in the U.S. to the level of a nationwide public health emergency in 2017, the number of opioid-involved overdose deaths has continued to rise. The impact of the opioid epidemic extends well beyond the tragedy of fatal overdose. Nonfatal overdose can result in brain injury and permanent disability, and research suggests that between 20 and 30 nonfatal overdoses occur for every overdose death. K-12 students affected by opioid abuse in the home face a number of challenges that can interfere with their educational engagement and success. Evidence indicates that children whose parents abuse opioids are at risk of experiencing trauma, school absences, behavioral issues, and even displacement from the home--all factors that can negatively affect educational and socioemotional outcomes. Similarly, research shows that college students who engage in drug use are more likely to experience gaps in enrollment, prolonged time to graduation, failure to graduate, and even lifelong struggles with addiction. Planning teams at K-12 schools and institutions of higher education (IHEs) can specifically address the risk of opioid-related emergencies, including overdose, in their emergency operations plans (EOPs) by including a Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annex for drug overdose. This fact sheet provides information and strategies for addressing opioid overdoses at K-12 schools and IHEs through EOPs and other preparedness activities.