1) The Community Opioid Outreach Program (COOP) is a collaboration between Lowell House addiction treatment and police, fire, and Trinity EMS to locate people who have recently overdosed to encourage them to seek treatment.
2) COOP members scour the city daily to find recent overdose victims and provide information on treatment resources and support systems.
3) COOP is credited with reducing overdose deaths in Lowell by 60% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year, and members say they are directly saving lives through their outreach efforts.
1) The Community Opioid Outreach Program (COOP) is a collaboration between Lowell House addiction treatment and police, fire, and Trinity EMS to locate people who have recently overdosed to encourage them to seek treatment.
2) COOP members scour the city daily to find recent overdose victims and provide information on treatment resources and support systems.
3) COOP is credited with reducing overdose deaths in Lowell by 60% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year, and members say they are directly saving lives through their outreach efforts.
1) The Community Opioid Outreach Program (COOP) is a collaboration between Lowell House addiction treatment and police, fire, and Trinity EMS to locate people who have recently overdosed to encourage them to seek treatment.
2) COOP members scour the city daily to find recent overdose victims and provide information on treatment resources and support systems.
3) COOP is credited with reducing overdose deaths in Lowell by 60% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year, and members say they are directly saving lives through their outreach efforts.
Lowell opioid workers hit the streets, saving lives
OPIOIDS/From Page 1 writes, leaving the card for the man. Before leaving, Newby hugs the woman. If he doesnt call, tell him Ill be back, Garneau says. The team then heads over to South Common. Checks out the Acre. And then back to the High- lands. Their daily mission is to locate those who have recently overdosed the individuals most likely to suffer a fatal one. Theyre members of the citys Amanda Newby of Trinity EMS makes a round of calls to locate Community Opioid Outreach an individual, while Kevin Garneau of Lowell police reviews Program, a collaboration overdose reports. between the Lowell House addic- of addicts say were doing Gods quarter this year, Trinity EMS tion treatment program and work. reported 10 overdose deaths. police, fire and Trinity. Its all about treating our fel- At the same time, there has Every day, the COOP team low brothers and sisters as wed been an increase in non-fatal scours the city to find the people overdoses those are up to 176 like to be treated, he added. who overdosed the night before, in the first quarter of 2017, from Were doing a good thing here in and encourages them to enter 155 in 2016. Lowell. treatment and connect with Police have been trying to other resources. Its been a major Total overdoses have been increasing in the city, but over- explain this trend. Police Super- success for more than a year, the intendent William Taylor pointed members emphasized. dose deaths are decreasing this year. During the first three to COOP as one explanation. Theyre not aware of whats I cant say enough about the available to them, Garneau said months of 2017, the number of fatal overdoses in the city was work they do, Taylor said. They about individuals suffering from literally save lives. addiction. We do our best to guide down 60 percent compared to the Members of the Community Opioid Outreach Program (COOP) same time last year. Im very proud that were attempt to track down those who recently overdosed. From them, and let them know about part of it, he added. Having a these resources, and that theres a Twenty-five people fatally left, Amanda Newby of Trinity EMS, Lowell Police Officer Kevin positive impact on people not re- support system for them. overdosed in the city during Jan- Garneau of Lowell police and Kevin Jones of the Lowell Fire overdosing. Are they saving lives? With- uary, February, and March last Department talk to a family member about getting her loved All Trinity, police, and fire out a doubt, they respond year. It was by far the deadliest vehicles are also equipped with one help. See video at lowellsun.com. SUN PHOTOS / RICK SOBEY instantly. quarter, accounting for 40 per- Narcan, an overdose-reversing Were absolutely making a substance abuse education, drug purity and more). cent of the 62 deaths recorded drug, so first responders are difference, Jones said. Families information and support. They The card provides organiza- during 2016. During the first likely also saving more lives, also give a card with their phone tions for treatment, such as the Taylor said. numbers. Jillian Teves, an out- Massachusetts Bureau of Sub- The members of COOP start reach specialist from Lowell stance Abuse Hotline, as well as each day by reviewing police House, talks to them about Low- information on inpatient treat- reports, looking for overdose cases ell Houses treatment program. ment including at Tewksbury from the previous day. They then We tell them how there are State Hospital. start making phone calls and alternatives to get them out of It lists community support, house visits, attempting to track this rut, Jones said. such as Lowell House and Lowell down the individuals. The resource guide informs Community Health Center. It can be very difficult if the them to call 911 if they believe We have to keep hitting persons phone number is old, if someone is overdosing; it every day, Garneau says, look- they have an outdated address, explains how to recognize an opi- ing over a lengthy list of reports. or if theyre homeless. They ate overdose (person will not Thats what we gotta do. could also live in other communi- wake up, no response to yelling, There will be struggles, there ties, which makes it tougher for blue lips or fingernails and will be slip-ups, but we gotta get COOP to follow-up. more); and it tells them overdose these people help. Once the team makes contact, risk factors (using alone, surviv- Follow Rick Sobey on Twitter Kevin Garneau, a Lowell police officer, reviews overdose reports. they provide a resource guide for ing a past overdose, change in @rsobeyLSun.