SPONSORED SPECIAL SECTION CP DAAC
N arcan is the brand antagonist,” a medication administered when an individual is suffering from an opioid overdose. Typical signs of an overdose may include unresponsiveness, slow or shallow breathing, a weak or absent pulse, constricted (“pinpoint”) pupils, pale or name for Naloxone, a widely used “opioid bluish skin tone and choking or gurgling sounds. Immediately call 911 if you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose and then administer the Narcan Nasal Spray. To use Narcan Nasal Spray, place your thumb on the bottom of the plunger and your fingers on either side of the nozzle. Tilt the person’s head back, insert the nozzle into one nostril, and press firmly to release the dose. Afterward, turn them onto their side to prevent choking and give a second dose in the other nostril if there’s no response within a few minutes. Stay with the person and wait for emergency services— Narcan’s effects may wear off within 30 to 90 minutes, and symptoms can return. Narcan: The spray that could save a life
Alisha Pepper, a psychiatric nurse practicioner, and Dr. Marie Mulligan, in the MAT mobile unit.
rural areas with underserved populations. Kai Denis, director of MAT services at DAAC, says the new mobile unit run by Dr. Marie Mulligan will be crucial for reaching those on the outskirts. “To be able to travel out to rural areas and remote parts of the community to bring information and harm reduction services to people who don’t have access is vital,” says Denis. To further combat the increasing rates of fentanyl overdoses, DAAC also offers free Fentanyl Testing Strips. Fentanyl cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste and the synthetic opioid is often mixed with drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin to increase the potency at a lower cost. The Center Point DAAC website, cpdaac.org, has a page on how the public can access the Fentanyl Test Strips, as well as how to use them to detect whether drugs are laced with fentanyl. Meanwhile, Narcan is the brand name for Naloxone, a widely used “opioid antagonist,” a medication administered when an individual is suffering from an opioid overdose—like the man Geiger witnessed on his arrival to DAAC that recent morning. As the EMT told Geiger at
the scene, the Center Point DAAC staff’s quick application of Narcan “probably saved this guy’s life.” Through a combination of modes of outreach—from administrative networking to word-of-mouth communication to connecting with distant communities via the mobile units—the DAAC team hopes to slowly stem the rise of opioids in the North Bay and beyond. As Denis says: “We want to help [those] who struggle with opioid addiction to regain their lives—to overcome that driving need. “To establish a normal routine and get back to functioning normally. To have a normal healthy life.” n
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46 NorthBaybiz
November 2025
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