Wellness & Well-being Highlights May 7

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of May 7, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from how the DEA is taking a new approach to stemming our nation’s opioid (fentanyl) crisis to how John Legend is supporting efforts to help former prisoners re-enter the workforce to the Surgeon General’s take on the negative impact of isolation and loneliness in our society. Today, I wish to shed some light on the issue of how a medical doctor’s recent life and death experience (related to a food allergy) on a SWA flight has garnered national attention. Apparently, SWA’s first aid kit did not have an EpiPen to assist her but fortunately another passenger (first responder) was available to administer a shot of epinephrine. Not too long ago, I wrote about my experience last October on SWA’s Flight 928 wherein a first responder and I used Narcan to revive a passenger who was in throes of an opioid overdose. If you recall, afterwards, SWA ignored my request to address the issue in a professional and responsible manner. As I reflect on these two distinct events, I feel a need to ask if SWA’s failure to act months ago had more to do with the “stigma” of drug misuse vs saving face (i.e., flying ill-equipped planes w/ ill-prepared employees)? More importantly, the FAA is in the process of reviewing their minimum standards regarding airlines’ first aid kits. Hopefully, by the end of this summer, we will see ALL commercial carriers carrying Narcan and EpiPens on their flights as well as have flight crews trained to administer these life-saving drugs!

Sources: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/movement-equip-airplanes-epipens-gaining-traction-rcna82392

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/tony-messenger/messenger-st-louis-man-who-saved-overdose-victim-pushes-airline-to-carry-narcan/article_54ced5c1-9d10-5867-9101-979b08e9bc3e.html

Kids’ declining MH

Senate / Limits / Social Media / Kids’ MH

Gun assaults on kids more than double during COVID’s peak

DEA’s new Fentanyl strategy

Fentanyl deaths spike

Test strips for Fentanyl

I can, You can, We all can, NARCAN

Will a near death on SWA flight prompt FAA to review rules?

High School suicide results in reviewing current MH system

WHO / COVID-19 / New era