Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 26

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 26, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog reveals how Missouri had over 100% increase in 988 calls—to how technology is being used to help workers stay cool in hot environments—to how the new contract for professional women soccer players nixed the draft. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look how state and local governments are spending opioid settlement funds. With over $50b being made available to address the opioids crisis that has negatively impacted the US for more than 20 years, it is necessary to see that these funds are funneled towards programs that are evidenced-based vs pet projects. Far too often, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. While there are still those who think “harm reduction” efforts are means of enabling so-called addicts, I ask that you step back and scan your environment…personally and professionally.

Would you treat a fellow worker with cancer or a family member with diabetes like a criminal? This crisis did not happen overnight and nor will it be resolved overnight. Some areas have bought more police equipment or raised salaries with these funds.¹ Truth be told, solely sinking more money into policing will not put a dent in helping those who have OUD (opioids use disorder). Why? This is a time-worn “downstream” strategy that has failed in nearly every community. Let’s face it, nearly 70% of the people who began to use heroin in the period of ~2003-2016 started their journey via a legal prescription for opioids (i.e., painkillers). Treating people who have a brain disease like criminals furthers the stigma surrounding this issue.

Accordingly, we need to start thinking about upstream approaches! Prevention and intervention tactics must be employed to help stem the growth of this crisis. Prevention can take the form of education programs for K-12 and other targeted communities, including but not limited to the safe storage and disposal of drugs, etc.² Intervention programs that are already saving lives include stocking Narcan in your company’s First Aid kit and training staff on how to administer it. In addition, let’s address where to obtain free Narcan. Herein, I must give a shout out to St. Louis County Public Libraries. For more than a year now, their leadership has found ways to become part of this solution in their communities…by distributing Narcan and resource literature to the public…NO questions asked!³ In closing, we are currently in the 4^th Wave of the opioids crisis (polysubstances). This national crisis is NOT a static problem. In other words, now Narcan is not enough!⁴ Remaining flexible vs traditional is key to helping those with OUD.

Sources: [1] https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/nx-s1-5084246/opioid-settlement-money-and-a-call-to-action\

[2] https://prevented.org/take-action/

[3] https://www.slcl.org/news/free-narcan-kits

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/what-you-should-know-about-xylazine.html

MO & 988

Canada calls for more MH support

GG Bridge & Anti-suicide Netting

Where are the opioid settlement funds going?

Are “magic mushrooms” making people sick?

When to get your flu shot?

Surge in Parvovirus

“Ice vests” for workers?