Zero Overdose partners with Hilltown Community Ambulance Association to pilot overdose safety planning in rural Massachusetts.

TILLSON, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, July 31, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Zero Overdose, a nonprofit organization committed to preventing overdose events and deaths through use of overdose safety planning, has partnered with Hilltown Community Ambulance Association (HCAA) who will be the first ambulance association in the US to pilot overdose safety planning as part of their patient care protocols within their service area.

HCAA is a private Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service that is located in Huntington, MA. They are a non-profit organization that provides 24/7 coverage to the towns of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Montgomery, Russell, Worthington, and mutual aid to several more surrounding towns.

The partnership will train HCAA’s paramedic team in overdose safety planning in the hopes of reducing subsequent calls, overdose events, fatalities and increasing the number of individuals who accept “leave behind” reversal medications.

“We strive to go above and beyond for our communities. Looking at the calls for services, there is a big need for intervention regarding substance use disorder in our service area,” said HCAA Director, Bailey Jones. “I have no doubt that training EMTs and Paramedics in harm reduction protocols such as Overdose Safety Plans will be monumental in saving lives.”

HCAA’s service area is situated between the Pioneer Valley and The Berkshires, and is made up of several small towns. This area is collectively known as “The Hilltowns.” It has a combined population of just over 10,000 people and spans around 600 square miles. of mostly rural land. Although the population is small, the incidence of substance misuse is high. A lack of medical resources and access to nearby towns with proper resources are also contributing factors to this growing problem as well.

The partnership with Zero Overdose was created by paramedic Cate Snape and Co-Founder of Zero Overdose Virna Little. Paramedic Snape had begun to realize that many individuals were having multiple overdose events, in which more than a third had a subsequent fatality.

“Zero Overdose is excited about this partnership and feel it could provide learning and information that could be disseminated to paramedic organizations nationally. We thank Hilltown for being a national leader,” said Virna Little, COO and Co-founder of Zero Overdose.

Thomas W McCarry
Zero Overdose
+1 314-266-9026
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