Schools and other service organizations now have easier access to the opioid-reversing medication Narcan for free or at a reduced cost from the manufacturer, the Arkansas Department of Education said last week.

The Education Department made the announcement in conjunction with the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas drug director's office.

Narcan is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose if administered in a timely manner.

Emergent BioSolutions, the manufacturer of Narcan, has a program that supplies two free doses of the Narcan nasal spray, with the option to purchase additional doses at a reduced cost, to authorized organizations.

An authorization letter signed by Dr. Bala Simon, deputy chief medical officer with the Arkansas Department of Health, streamlines the process for high schools, colleges, universities, law enforcement agencies, first responders, public libraries, government agencies and other community-based organizations to obtain the medication.

"We are pleased that schools have the ability to obtain this life-saving medication at little to no cost in a more expedited manner," Arkansas Education Secretary Johnny Key said. "Together we can save lives while also educating students and communities about the importance of choosing to remain drug free."

More information, including information on Narcan order forms, is available at https://bit.ly/33Di6lQ.

Those who do not qualify for the free or reduced-cost doses can still obtain Narcan without a prescription at any pharmacy under the provisions of Arkansas Code § 17-92-101(16) and the Arkansas Naloxone Protocol.

USDA sets $1.5B for school meals

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it is providing $1.5 billion to help providers of school meals in states and school systems deal with supply chain challenges resulting from the covid-19 pandemic.

Arkansas' share of the funding will be $16.5 million, according to the federal agency.

Of that total, Arkansas is to receive $11 million in supply chain assistance funds, $3.272 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture food purchases and $2.2 million for cooperative agreements to purchase local foods with a focus on buying from historically underserved producers.

In particular, the largest pool of money -- the Supply Chain Assistance funding -- can be used to purchase unprocessed and minimally processed domestic food such as fresh fruit, milk, cheese, frozen vegetables and ground meat.

Each state will allocate the funds to schools based on student enrollment, with a minimum amount per district to ensure that small schools aren't left behind, the federal agency said.

"USDA's school meal programs have a wide-reaching impact on the health and well-being of our nation's children," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a news release. "Now, more than ever, America's children need access to healthy and nutritious foods, and our school nutrition professionals play a huge role in making that happen."

Firm offers reward on recycled items

Trex Company, a manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing, is offering financial awards to schools for the collection and recycling of polyethylene films such as plastic grocery bags, newspaper sleeves, cereal liners and plastic case overwraps for paper products, bottles and cans.

The financial rewards for top recyclers is made possible through a corporate sponsorship by Charter Next Generation, a provider of specialty polyethylene films in North America.

In addition to the financial awards from Charter Next Generation, Trex will award prizes of Trex products to top recyclers for their campuses.

Information about the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, including a link to enroll in the competition, is available at https://bit.ly/3enyj0F.

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