Project Lazarus was identified by the Injury & Substance Abuse Prevention Action Team as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, that has a reasonable chance of making a difference in unintentional poisonings and overdoses in our community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists Project Lazarus as a promising practice to combat unintentional poisoning mortality. This is an ongoing program in our community.

Project Lazarus is a comprehensive community approach to unintentional poisoning and overdose prevention, addressing multi-levels of intervention (individual and organizational). This intervention targets patients with pain management prescriptions and their families, providers who prescribe pain-management medications, hospitals and emergency departments, and the community at large for education on opioid poisoning. Implementation for this intervention will take place community-wide.

Project Lazarus Model, explaining the Wheel and the Hub.

The partners for this program include:

• Jackson County Department of Public Health
  • Role: Host agency for program, provides resources
• Vaya Health
  
  • Role: Supports through access to target population; referral source
• Safe Kids Jackson County
  • Role: Supports project implementation
• Mountain Projects, Inc.
  • Role: Supports project implementation
• Harris Regional Hospital
  • Role: Supports project implementation
• Western Carolina University
  • Role: Supports project implementation
• Law enforcement
  • Role: Supports project implementation
• Local providers
  • Role: Supports project implementation

2017 Updates

Medication Take Back Events:

The Injury & Substance Abuse Prevention Action Team partnered with local agencies during the months of March and April to help host 2 medication take back events in Jackson County.

The first event was held on Saturday, March 25th at Mark’s Pharmacy in Sylva. Partners for the event included Safe Kids Jackson County, Jackson County Department of Public Health, Mark’s Pharmacy, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Sylva Police Department, and Western Carolina University Police Department.

Collection Details:

Prescription (non-controlled): 14,774

OTC: 28,400

Unknown: 14,250

Grand Total: 57,424

The second event was on Friday, April 28th at Cashiers Valley Pharmacy in Cashiers. Partners for the event included Safe Kids Jackson County, Jackson County Department of Public Health, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Cashiers Valley Pharmacy, Cashiers Volunteer Fire Department, and Mountain Projects Inc.

Collection Details:

Prescription (non-controlled): 6,865.5

OTC: 1,198

Opioids: 343.5

Benzodiazepines: 244.5

Stimulants: 68

Community Presentations: ISAP is available throughout the year to do presentations in the community regarding substance abuse.

The Action Team presented to the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley on March 1st regarding the Community Health Assessment, Healthy Carolinians Steering Committee, Action Teams, and substance abuse specifically in Jackson County.

Naloxone: Local law enforcement agencies in Jackson County are now carrying naloxone kits and are trained in its administration. Jackson is the first county west of Haywood to have officers equipped with the life-saving device.

Media: The Project Lazarus website is updated monthly with meeting date/time, agendas, minutes, and ED overdose reports.

Action Team news releases in the local paper include:
Substance Abuse Prevention at the Forefront of Health Priorities