Category: Health
Save a life from opiate overdose
By Monica Brown, Tulalip News Writer
TULALIP, Wash. – The Tulalip CEDAR (Community Engaged and Dedicated to Addiction Recovery) group invited Caleb Banta-Green, PhD to speak at their meeting on April 25, 2013. Banta-Green is the principle investigator on an overdose prevention program for Washington State and has dedicated time to developing a prevention program and educating communities about overdosing risks.
Often times an opiate overdose won’t occur until 3-4 hours after the person takes them. The person will be unresponsive, have shallow breathing that may sound like gasping or choking, and may be pale blue or grey in color. Banta-Green pointed out that rescue breathing can be done to prevent a potential fatality and suggests the first thing you need to do is look for signs of breathing and a heartbeat. If there is no heartbeat, perform CPR. If there is a heartbeat but the person is having trouble breathing or not breathing at all, begin the rescue breathing; “An opiate overdose is about oxygen; it’s about getting oxygen to the person’s brain and doing rescue breathing,” said Banta-Green.
Along with rescue breathing, Banta-Green suggests administering Naloxone. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, is a prescribed medication that, once administered, blocks the person’s opioid receptors and allows the overdose victim to breathe normally for a short period of time. Depending on how much of the opioid the person has taken they may need to be given Naloxone every 30-90 minutes until they stabilize.
Naloxone can be given in the nose (intranasal spray) or in the muscle (intramuscular injection) and is safe to give even if the person is not overdosing on opioids. Since Naloxone is purely an opioid antagonist it has been approved to help binge eaters from splurging on fatty sweets like chocolate.
Washington State law (RCW 69.50.315) allows anyone at risk of having, or witnessing, an opioid drug overdose to obtain a prescription of naloxone. If you or your friends or family members use opioids medicinally or recreationally, you are able to obtain a prescription and carry it with you for emergencies. The CEDAR group is currently working with Tribal Police, Tulalip Pharmacy and the Health Clinic to start a prevention program at Tulalip which will offer prescriptions of Naloxone and training of how to give rescue breathing and administer Naloxone.
To find an overdose prevention program near you that gives prescriptions for Naloxone and training of how to administer, please visit this website: http://www.stopoverdose.org/faq.htm
Nearby locations in Washington that can help you if you are in need:
Adam Kartman, MD at Phoenix Recovery in Mt Vernon, Wash. Services provided: Anyone, including family and friends, who might be a first responder/good Samaritan to an opiate overdose who would like a prescription for intranasal naloxone and a free mucosal nasal atomizer is welcome to schedule a visit with Dr. Kartman at no charge. Native Americans and Alaskan Natives may be able to fill the prescriptions at no charge at tribal pharmacies. Others may get prescriptions filled at area pharmacies. Phone: 360-848-8437
Robert Clewis Center in Seattle, Wash. Services provided: Mon-Fri, 1:00-5:00 pm & Sat, 2:00-4:00 pm Walk-ins welcome. Harm reduction counseling/support, vein care, Naloxone/overdose prevention, case management. Facilitated access to methadone and other drug treatment, needle exchange, abscess treatment and care, HIV/hepatitis testing and counseling, Hepatitis A & B vaccinations, colds and upper respiratory infections andTB screening. Phone: 206-296-4649
The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance in Seattle, Wash. Services provided: We give out naloxone, crack kits, Hepatitis A and B vaccinations, safe disposal of used needles, access to new needles and clean supplies, referrals to other pertinent services such as detox and treatment options. Completely need-based program for syringe exchange and completely drug user run. Phone: 206-330-5777
What are opiates?
Heroin, morphine, oxycodone (Oxycontin), methadone, hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, and other prescription pain medications.
How to recognize and overdose.
The person overdosing can’t be woken through loud noises or pain, may have blue or gray lips and fingernails, they will have slow or shallow breathing which may sound similar to gasping or snoring.
How to save someone from an overdose.
An overdose death may happen hours after taking drugs. If a bystander acts when they first notice a person’s breathing has slowed, or when they can’t awaken a user, there is time to call 911, start rescue breathing (if needed) and give naloxone.
1. Rub to wake.
- Rub you knuckles on the bony part of the chest (the Sternum) to try to get them to wake up or breathe.
2. Call 911. – All you need to say is :
- The address and where to find the person
- A person is not breathing
- When medics come tell them what drugs the person took if you know
- Tell them if you gave naloxone
3. If the person stops breathing give breaths mouth-to-mouth or use a disposable breathing mask.
- Put them on their back.
- Pull the chin forward to keep the airway open; put one hand on the chin, tilt the head back, and pinch the nose closed.
- Make a seal over their mouth with yours and breathe in two breaths. The chest, not the stomach, should rise.
- Give one breath every 5 seconds.
4. Give Naloxone
- For injectable naloxone: Inject into the arm or upper outer top of thigh muscle, 1 cc at a time. Always start from a new vial.
- For intranasal naloxone: Squirt half the vial into each nostril, pushing the applicator fast to make a fine mist.
- Discard any opened vials of naloxone within 6 hours (as recommended by the World Health Organization).
5. Stay with the person and keep them breathing
- Continue giving mouth-to-mouth breathing if the person is not breathing on their own.
- Give a second dose of naloxone after 2-5 minutes if they do not wake up and breathe more than about 10-12 breaths a minute.
- Naloxone can spoil their high and they may want to use again. Remind them naloxone wears off soon and they could overdose again.
6. Place the person on their side
- People can breathe in their own vomit and die. If the person is breathing, put them on their side. Pull the chin forward so they can breathe more easily. Some people may vomit once they get naloxone; this position will help protect them from inhaling that vomit.
7. Convince the person to follow the paramedics’ advice.
If the paramedics advise them to go to the Emergency Room, health care staff will help:
- Relieve symptoms of withdrawal
- Prevent them from overdosing again today
- By having an observer who can give more naloxone when the first dose wears off
- Assess and treat the person for other drug overdoses. Naloxone only helps for opioids.
8. What if the police show up?
- The Washington State 911 Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Law lets bystanders give naloxone if they suspect an overdose.
- The law protects the victim and the helpers from prosecution for drug possession. The police can confiscate drugs and prosecute persons who have outstanding warrants from other crimes.
beda?chelh asking for input at community meeting
By Monica Brown Tulalip News Writer
TULALIP, Wash. -The community meeting held on Tuesday April 23rd, focused on beda?chelh who brought this years and previous years statistics. The meeting gave community members the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns about current beda?chelh policies and procedures.
Questions raised centered on how to help a child in need and what can a parent expect when they turn to beda?chelh for help.
If a child comes to you or you know of a child that is in need of help, beda?chelh prefers that you notify them first and they will review the case, investigate it and create a CPS file (Child Protective Services). If a parent recognizes that they are struggling with addiction and want help they can speak with beda?chelh and they will put the parent on a safety plan to complete, so that their child can remain with them while they are getting help for their addiction. If the risk level becomes too high, the parent will be asked to place the child under the care of a family or friend to ensure the child’s safety.
The safety plan is based on the circumstances of the situation and is initially three months, “The safety plans are time sensitive. The plan will go for three months and then they will reassess if the safety plan needs to be extended for another month or whatever is necessary to keep them from being in the system long-term,” said Jennifer Walls, Lead Case Manager at beda?chelh.
Efforts are being implemented to keep tribal children that have been placed in non-tribal homes connected with culture events. “We are pushing for more cultural activities for our youth and that includes children that are placed off the reservation in non-tribal homes,” said Lena Hammons Director of Behavior Health.
The outreach department is currently understaffed and is working towards becoming fully staffed so that they can create a staggering work schedule in order to ensure that they are able to transport children to and from meetings and cultural activities.
The current policies and procedures are being reviewed and reworked so that they are more effective and are easier for parents and guardians to navigate and aim towards healing the parents and reuniting the parent and child. Community Meetings are the 4th Tuesday every month. To view the community meeting in its entirety visit Tulalip Matters at wwww.kanutv.com. If you have something that you would like to include please call the concern line 360-716-4006.
Current statistics for Youth in Need of Care:
Child placement numbers for 2013
- 2 institutionalized
- 55 placed with non-family
- 144 placed with family
- 7 returned home
Child drug test results for 2013 through March
- 3 tested positive for marijuana or other drugs
- 2 tested positive for meth
- 4 tested negative
Reported child abuse cases for 2013, children under 10 years of age.
- 4 physical abuse reports
- 6 sexual abuse reports
Community Health “Report Card” rolled out
Report explains what was measured, how it was done, and top health issues that need work
The Public Health Advisory Council is appointed by the Board of Health to consider public health issues and recommend policies and actions to improve the health of Snohomish County. Members are community leaders who volunteer their time for three-year terms, except the youth representative who serves for one year. The council was created in 2009 and expanded in 2012.
Northwest Indian College celebrates women’s health
In observance of National Women’s Health Week, Northwest Indian College will host its 2013 Women’s Wellness Conference on May 8-9 from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Log Building on main campus.
The event brings together women from campus and the community to promote women’s health and wellness, and to provide them with opportunities and tools to improve their physical, mental and emotional health.
Topics at the conference will include:
- Physical fitness
- Healthy relationships
- Native plant identification (and nature walk)
- Diabetes cooking and nutrition
- Teas for wellness
- And more
For a registration form, contact Laura Maudsley at lmaudsley@NWIC.edu or visit www.NWIC.edu/event/2013-womens-wellness-conference. The conference registration fee is $125. Those who would like to attend the conference, but who are unable to pay, can request a fee waiver by contacting Laura.
Northwest Indian College is an accredited, tribally chartered institution headquartered on the Lummi Reservation at 2522 Kwina Road in Bellingham Wash., 98226, and can be reached by phone at (866) 676-2772 or by email at info@nwic.edu.
Blueprint to Advance Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Service in Health Released
Source: Native News Network
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday Health and Human Services released enhanced National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care, a blueprint to help organizations improve health care quality in serving our nation’s diverse communities.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
The enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services standards are grounded in a broad definition of culture, one in which health is recognized as being influenced by factors ranging from race and ethnicity to language, spirituality, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and geography.
“We are making great strides in providing quality care and affordable coverage for every American, regardless of race or ethnicity or other cultural factors because of the Affordable Care Act,”
said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
“The Enhanced National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards will help us build on this ongoing effort to ensure that effective and equitable care is accessible to all.”
A key initiative in the department’s effort to reduce health disparities, the update marks a major milestone in the implementation of the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
Long existing inequities in health and health care have come at a steep cost not only for minority communities, but also for our nation. As cited in a recent report from the HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the burden of insufficient and inequitable care related to racial and ethnic health disparities has been estimated to top $1 trillion.
“Disparities have prevented improved outcomes in our health and health care system for far too long,”
said Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH.
“The enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards provide a platform for all persons to reach their full health potential.”
Specifically, the enhanced Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards provide a framework to health and health care organizations for the delivery of culturally respectful and linguistically responsive care and services. By adopting the framework, health and human services professionals will be better able to meet the needs of all individuals at all points of contact.
“Many Americans struggle to achieve good health because the health care and services that are available to them do not adequately address their needs,”
said J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and Director of the HHS Office of Minority Health.
“As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, improving cultural and linguistic competency across public health and our health care system can be one of our most powerful levers for advancing health equity.”
The enhanced standards, developed by the HHS Office of Minority Health, are a comprehensive update of the 2000 National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards and include the expertise of federal and non-federal partners nationwide, to ensure an even stronger platform for health equity.
Dispose of unwanted medicines on National Drug Take-back Day, April 27
Correct disposal helps prevent unintentional poisonings
Source: Snohomish County Health District
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. –Unintentional poisonings are at a record high in Snohomish County. The most recent information shows that in 2011 the number of such poisonings affected 150 county residents– more than triple the 46 reported in 2000. You can help reduce the chance of unintentional poisonings by disposing of your unwanted medicines on National Drug Take-back Day, April 27 at multiple locations in Snohomish County.
“Unintentional poisonings frequently involve prescription drugs,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health Officer and Director of the Snohomish Health District. He said they not only harm people, but improperly discarded drugs can also harm the environment when they enter septic systems and household trash.
To help protect the public’s safety and health, area law enforcement agencies and Bartell Drug will participate in National Drug Take-back Day, Saturday, April 27 at sites throughout the county. Find locations and hours on the Health District’s website, www.snohd.org, or call 425.388.3199. The sites accept unused, expired and unwanted prescription drugs, including narcotic painkillers and other medications.
All police departments in the county have drop-boxes available year-round, Monday through Friday, including the NCIS office at Naval Station Everett, the Washington State Patrol office in Marysville, and tribal police stations on the Tulalip and Stillaguamish reservations. Additionally, two Group Health locations and many Bartell Drugstores accept unwanted vitamins, pet medications, over-the-counter medications, inhalers and unopened EpiPens year-round.
Only law enforcement locations can accept controlled substances, such as Ativan and OxyContin. Leave all items in their original containers.
The Saturday drug-return hours support the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s “National Drug Take-back Day,” through participation by the Snohomish County Partnership for Secure Medicine Disposal. Partnership members include the Snohomish Health District, Snohomish County, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s office, the Snohomish Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Washington State Patrol, and all local law enforcement agencies.
Established in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier Snohomish County through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Find more information about the Health Board and the Health District at http://www.snohd.org.
Drop-Off Locations and Hours
The Snohomish County Partnership for Secure Medicine Disposal provides residents with secure medicine drop-off locations year-round. The hours listed below are for the Saturday, April 27 National Drug Take-back Day.
City: Arlington
Time: 10 am – noon
Location: Arlington Police Department
110 East Third Street
Arlington, WA 98223
City: Edmonds
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Edmonds Police Department
250 Fifth Avenue North
Edmonds, WA 98020
City: Everett
Time: 8 am – Noon
Location: Everett Police Department – North Precinct
3002 Wetmore Avenue
Everett, WA 98201
City: Lake Stevens
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Bartell Drugs (hosted by Lake Stevens Police Department)
621 SR 9 NE
Lake Stevens, WA 98258
City: Lynnwood
Time: 8 am – noon
Location: Lynnwood Police Department
19321 44th Avenue West
Lynnwood, WA 98036
City: Lynnwood
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Home & About Home Care (hosted by Snohomish Regional Drug & Gang TF)
15121 Hwy 99
Lynnwood, WA 98087
City: Marysville
Time: 9 am – 1 pm
Location: Marysville Police Department
1635 Grove Street
Marysville, WA 98270
City: Mill Creek
Time: 9 am – 1 pm
Location: Snohomish County Sheriff – South Precinct
15928 Mill Creek Blvd
Mill Creek, WA 98012
City: Mountlake Terrace
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Mountlake Terrace Police Department
5906 232nd Street SW
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
City: Snohomish
Time: 8 am – noon
Location: Snohomish Police Department
230 Maple Avenue
Snohomish, WA 98290
Doctors warn teens: Don’t take the cinnamon challenge
By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press
CHICAGO — Don’t take the cinnamon challenge. That’s the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.
The fad involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. But the spice is caustic, and trying to gulp it down can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the report said.
Published online Monday in Pediatrics, the report said at least 30 teens nationwide needed medical attention after taking the challenge last year.
The number of poison control center calls about teens doing the prank “has increased dramatically,” from 51 in 2011 to 222 last year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
“People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are at greater risk of having this result in shortness of breath and trouble breathing,” according to an alert posted on the association’s website.
Thousands of YouTube videos depict kids attempting the challenge, resulting in an “orange burst of dragon breath” spewing out of their mouths and sometimes hysterical laughter from friends watching the stunt, said report co-author Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose fibers that don’t easily break down. Animal research suggests that when cinnamon gets into the lungs, it can cause scarring, Lipshultz said.
Dr. Stephen Pont, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an Austin, Texas pediatrician, said the report is “a call to arms to parents and doctors to be aware of things like the cinnamon challenge” and to pay attention to what their kids are viewing online.
An Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge heartily supports the new advice and started her own website — http://nocinnamonchallenge.com — telling teens to “just say no” to the fad.
Dejah Reed, 16, said she took the challenge four times — the final time was in February last year with a friend who didn’t want to try it alone.
“I was laughing very hard and I coughed it out and I inhaled it into my lungs,” she said. “I couldn’t breathe.”
Her father, Fred Reed, said he arrived home soon after to find Dejah “a pale bluish color. It was very terrifying. I threw her over my shoulder” and drove to a nearby emergency room.
Dejah was hospitalized for four days and went home with an inhaler and said she still has to use it when she gets short of breath from running or talking too fast. Her dad said she’d never had asthma or breathing problems before.
Dejah said she’d read about the challenge on Facebook and other social networking sites and “thought it would be cool” to try.
Now she knows “it’s not cool and it’s dangerous.”
A Traditional Story of Picking Strawberries, Redheads and Love
By Dale Carson, Indian Country Today Media Network
Lenonah and her family lived by a wide creek; they had all the water and natural foods they needed to survive and be happy. Lenonah was known for her beautiful, long, almost black hair and for her very good foraging skills. She could pick baskets and baskets full of berries faster than her sisters and her mother.
There were many berry-pickin’ places near their lodge, and the girls knew them all, except for a couple only Lenonah knew about. Lenonah was quite fond of wild strawberries and ate most of what she picked. One day, her sisters noticed that her beautiful long hair was getting lighter and lighter—nearly red! They were worried, but Lenonah didn’t think anything of it. She thought it could only be the strawberries making this so.
In those times, humans and animals could speak to one another. She talked with her friends muskrat and frog about what was happening to her hair. Frog was not alarmed, but muskrat was concerned and told her she should stop eating so many berries. He thought her hair color would make it too easy for those who wished her harm to find her, or worse, her secret picking places. From that day on, she never ate another wild strawberry, but she always wanted to. One day she was foraging near one of her old secret wild strawberry places and saw a handsome young red-haired man in the middle of the patch. He waved to her. They saw each other again, many times and fell in love. He told her his hair had once been long and nearly black but he loved wild strawberries so much he couldn’t stop eating them. She told him of her talk with frog and muskrat and why she stopped eating her beloved wild berries. He said if she would marry him he would protect her and she could eat all the berries she wanted; he would love her whether her hair was black or red. They married and had many children and grandchildren. So every time you see people with strawberry red hair, think of Lenonah, her husband and their happy life near a strawberry patch.
Strawberry Leaf Tea
Pick leaves from the strawberry plant late in the summer. Put them on paper towels on a screen and dry in the sun or a 125-degree oven overnight. When thoroughly dry, crumble the leaves and put in a clean airtight container.
My own grandmother swore they would cure anything, especially a cold. They contain a lot of vitamin C, so she may have been right. The tea likes to be sweetened with honey. The Wampanoag word for strawberry leaves is wuttahimnasippa-quash.
Strawberry Bread Pudding
This is a VERY rich dessert and wonderful for special occasions as a memorable treat. First is the pudding recipe; the sauce recipe follows.
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
6 cups day old bread, cubed
2 cups strawberries, hulled
Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
¼ cup real maple syrup
Pinch salt
Bring sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly. Remove from heat, put pan in a larger pan of ice water to cool.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use a large bowl to mix eggs, sugar, honey, spices, salt and cream. Fold in the bread and let it set for 15 minutes. Pour this into a greased 9X13-inch cake pan and gently fold in the strawberries. Cover with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes. Let cool. Serve the sauce on the side or pour over individual servings.
Dale Carson, Abenaki, is the author of three books: New Native American Cooking, Native New England Cooking and A Dreamcatcher Book. She has written about and demonstrated Native cooking techniques for more than 30 years. Dale has four grown children and lives with her husband in Madison, Connecticut.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/04/20/traditional-story-picking-strawberries-redheads-and-love-148866