Denver Public Schools will provide naloxone, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses, to its middle and high schools starting Monday.

School nurses will have naloxone available as an added safety measure similarly to the way schools have Epipens and fire extinguishers, said Scott Pribble, a Denver Public Schools spokesperson. 

Pribble said the process of training nurses to administer naloxone is very simple and requires nurses to watch a video. 

“The naloxone that we have is a nasal spray,” Pribble said. “It’s a very simple process that doesn’t really require a lot of medical training.”

Pribble said naloxone doesn’t have serious adverse effects if used in a situation where opioid overdose is not the issue. If somebody is unconscious, naloxone can be administered even if the reason is unclear. 

“We all know there’s a big uptick (of opioid overdose) in the community, so we want to make sure our nurses are prepared if that happens on our campuses.”

Opioid overdose rates began to notably increase in 2013 in Colorado and “continue to propel the overdose epidemic in Colorado,” according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The department is working to get naloxone to public schools through its Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund. The fund came from a 2019 state legislature bill passed to provide certain entities, like schools, public health agencies and law enforcement, with opioid overdose-reversing drugs.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure our students and staff are safe,” Pribble said.