Hardin County Quick Response Team Director Justin Blair says December saw another spike in drug overdoses.
“It’s still the same old thing with fentanyl and methamphetamines,” Blair said. “That’s really what’s creating all of this issue, and like I’ve said before, the hospitals use fentanyl, but it’s regulated, and so what they’re getting on the street is made in somebody’s basement, and it’s just super dangerous and you have no idea if it’s in what you’re getting or not, so you just have to be really, really careful.”
Blair says he recommends anybody currently struggling with addiction contact the QRT in order to receive free fentanyl testing strips to ensure they know if they are being exposed to the potent opioid. It is one of the many free and confidential services offered by the QRT.
“When there is an overdose, EMS or law enforcement, or anyone really, can put in a referral and then that will trigger me to find out where that person is and then go to them, and my goal is just to meet them where they are,” Blair said. “There are no consequences for me coming. You do not have to do anything. We just want to let people know that we’re there, and that there are resources available, and we will help navigate those resources for them.”
Blair says it is important for people struggling to know they are not alone.
“Substance use obviously is what we’ve got to get to the bottom of first, but then there’s other layers to what people are facing,” Blair said. “Housing is an issue, food insecurities could be a thing, and so we’ve got resources to help with those things as well. We want to try to eliminate as many barriers as we can.”
Visit the Quick Response Team – Hardin County Facebook page or email jblair@hardincountyky.gov for more information.
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