In March 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the collaboration of the RecoveryOhio Initiative with the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Higher Education to provide five Naloxone (Narcan) access cabinets for every public college and university campus in Ohio.
Naloxone, commonly called by the brand name Narcan, is a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid drug. It can be used to treat overdoses from fentanyl, heroin, and prescription pain medications. It provides a quick, safe, and effective means of treating an opioid overdose.
The University of Akron has five Narcan cabinets installed around campus. Each cabinet contains two doses of Narcan nasal spray and a facial shield. All are wall-mounted near existing AED (Automated External Defibrillator) cabinets, excluding the cabinet installed at Bierce Library. The stations are in the following locations:
Simmons Hall – on the first floor, left wall of the hallway, near the Zip Assist desk
Polsky Building – on the second floor, on a red column across from the three passenger elevators (not in service)
Student Recreation and Wellness Services (Rec Center) – up the ramp, on the second floor, down the hall, left around the corner of the welcome desk, on the wall
Jean Hower Taber Student Union – on the first floor, in the main hallway, of the left side, on a wall almost hidden from view, near the west end of the building
Bierce Library – on the first floor, on the square column behind the Services desk
(NOTE: The AED cabinet in the library is located near the front entrance, on the right, in the STEAM Lounge, above a fire extinguisher.)
See the accompanying photographs to familiarize yourself with the location of each Narcan cabinet installed on campus.
There are currently no plans to obtain and install more Narcan cabinets on the UA main campus or any outlying facility.
In a brief interview with Lisa Ritenour, the Director of Health Services at the University of Akron, Ritenour states she has been personally involved with two overdose incidents on campus in the last 10 years, neither of which involved a UA student, staff member, or faculty member.
Additional resources are available for students and staff regarding these new Narcan installations. There is a link to a 7:09 minute Narcan training video available to view on the Health Services webpage at https://www.uakron.edu/healthservices/.
For anybody who might want to have Narcan on hand at their home or office, Ritenour said that free boxes, each containing two doses of Narcan nasal spray, can be obtained from the Summit County DAWN program. There are three DAWN locations in Akron: at the Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center Emergency Department, at the Summa Health Akron Emergency Department, and at the Summit County Public Health-Fairway.
For those who need additional medical information and attention or help with addiction, a good first step is to visit UA Student Health Services.
UA students and staff members can make appointments with certified nurse practitioners at UA Student Health Services, located in the Student Recreation and Wellness building, Suite 260. The department is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed daily from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. It is not open on Saturday or Sunday or any university-observed holiday. Visits are by appointment, but walk-ins are accepted. Their phone number is 330.972.7808.
