Bernalillo County will host a free overdose recognition and response training this week as part of ongoing efforts to address the community’s drug overdose crisis.
The Behavioral Health Education and Awareness Council will conduct the training Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the CARE Campus, 5901 Zuni Rd. SE. The session will also be available virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Behavioral Health program manager Erica Abeyta will lead the 1.5-hour training, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Participants will learn to recognize signs of opioid overdoses, respond with compassion to people who use substances and administer Naloxone to reverse overdoses, according to a county news release.
Free Naloxone kits will be provided to all participants who complete the training.
“This training is more than just information — it’s an empowering opportunity to start conversations, strengthen our community, and save lives,” Wayne Lindstrom, deputy county manager for the Behavioral Health Authority, said in the release. “The core message is simple but powerful: overdoses are preventable.”
In-person attendance is limited and requires advance registration by emailing Kimberly McManus at kmcmanus@bernco.gov. Virtual participants can join without registration.
The training is part of the council’s mission to expand community education around housing, homelessness, recovery and behavioral health issues.
The Behavioral Health Education and Awareness Council was established under Bernalillo County Ordinance 2024-15 to serve as a liaison between the county’s Behavioral Health Authority, service providers and residents.
Virtual participants can access the meeting using ID 287 098 942 165 6 and passcode KY2xQ7y4.