Harm Reduction Box Installed in Soperton
Soperton was presented a Harm Reduction Box on Monday morning by Ashley Black, Director of RISEUP in Dublin. The box, available free of charge to the Soperton/ Treutlen community, is located on the sidewalk at Dennards Drugs and is equipped with Narcan and fentanyl test strips to aid in reducing drug overdose deaths. Narcan is an overdose reversal agent, and fentanyl strips are used to detect fentanyl presence in other drugs.
Blake Dennard, owner of Dennard’s Drugs, stated, “I really appreciate the efforts of this program. This is going to be a big deal for somebody. Especially if it saves a life.”
County Commissioner Cali Hollis, who works with the Community Service Board, was instrumental in bringing the Harm Reduction Box to Treutlen County and stated, “Each county commissioner has a platform, and mine is to advocate for mental health and substance abuse. Therefore, I’m very happy today to see the placement of this box.” Ms. Hollis also stated that the Board of Commissioners has designated September as National Recovery Month.
RISEUP, Recovery In Supportive Environment Utilizing Peers, operates as a service organization based in Dublin and is managed by the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia. RISEUP provides safe and supportive peer-based drug recovery services at no cost to individuals and their families. The goal of RISEUP is to help engage, educate, and empower the community through various nonclinical activities, including Narcan education and the distribution of harm reduction boxes such as the one placed in Soperton.
The Harm Reduction Box Project is grant funded through the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust. In 2022, Georgia secured $638 million from settlements with major pharmaceutical entities and an additional $13 million from McKinsey & Company to combat the opioid crisis. These funds support strategic initiatives like expanding treatment options, increasing public awareness, and providing life-saving naloxone, overseen by the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission.
