Project Lazarus comes to Southwest VA

The McShin Foundation helped pass a bill legalizing nasal Naloxone at this year's General Assembly. Governor McDonnell has signed the bill into law, and it will be enacted on July 1 of this year! The bill calls for two pilot programs: one in rural southwestern Virginia and the other in urban Richmond. This past weekend, a meeting was held with CSB members and members of Project Lazarus (of North Carolina) on a starting up the rural SW VA program!

Project Lazarus comes to Southwest VA

Project Lazarus to help Southwest VA battle opiate abuse

By Kristen Conner 

RICHLANDS, V. a. (WVVA)-- A group from North Carolina hopes to help Southwest Virginia reduce its prescription drug abuse problem.

The Lazarus Project, a community effort in NC aimed at stopping opiate abuse, came to Tazewell County Wednesday to hold a forum with leaders there. They brainstormed ideas about how to tackle the problem, together.

Police said Wednesday that overdose deaths in Tazewell County are the highest per capita in the Commonwealth.

The group wants to save lives, but also motivate the whole community to act.

Fred Brason, President of Project Lazarus, said, "We help build coalitions in communities. It's not somebody coming in from the outside saying, 'we're going to fix your problem.' That's not what we're about. We're helping, through technical assistance and training, how community coalitions can address the problem themselves."

One Care of Southwest VA is partnering with The Lazarus Project in Tazewell County. They hope to act on ideas they have brainstormed in the coming months.