SafeRx Santa Cruz County (SafeRx) is a local substance use safety coalition comprised of social service, government, behavioral health, and healthcare organizations dedicated to aligning and accelerating best practices for opioids and other substances, as well as current best practice guidelines to reduce death. SafeRx works
towards a healthy, thriving, safe, equitable Santa Cruz County through prevention, increased treatment access (particularly with proven-effective and promising
medications for treating substance use), and evidence-based, harm reduction practices, to improve community well-being and save lives.
SafeRx Santa Cruz County
Read all about our 2023!
Download our 2023 Year in Review Newsletter to learn about the extensive work we did during the last year.
Download here
Información Sobre la Naloxona (Narcan®)
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La naloxona (nombre comercial Narcan®) es un medicamento aprobado por la FDA que salva vidas y que se usa para revertir los efectos de las sobredosis de opioides como la heroína, el fentanilo, la oxicodona, y la morfina.
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Aprenda los signos de una sobredosis y cómo responder para salvar la vida de alguien.
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Entienda los peligrosos de fentanilo y cuáles son las precauciones que usted puede tomar.
Information about Naloxone (Narcan®)
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Naloxone (brand name Narcan®) is a life-saving FDA-approved medication that is used to reverse the effects of overdoses from opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, and morphine.
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Learn the signs of an overdose and how to respond to save someone's life.
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Understand the dangers of fentanyl and what precautions you can take.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
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Just like many other chronic diseases, substance use disorders can be treated with the use of medications.
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MAT-MOUD are FDA approved medications that help manage withdrawal symptoms by curbing cravings and blocking the effects of opioids.
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MAT-MOUD can help with recovery and preventing relapse.
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See our MAT-MOUD Directory for access in Santa Cruz County.
Información Sobre la Xilacina
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La xilacina es un sedante veterinario que no es un opioide.
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También conocido como tranq, la xilacina está apareciendo en el suministro de drogas de la calle en la nación.
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La xilacina comúnmente está mezclada con opioides como el fentanilo y la heroína, aumentando su potencia y su riesgo de sobredosis.
Information about Xylazine
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Xylazine, commonly known as tranq, is a non-opioid tranquilizer used in veterinary medicine.
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Xylazine has recently been making headlines as it enters the illegal drug market.
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It is often mixed with opioids like fentanyl and heroin, increasing their potency and the risk of overdose.
Hablemos: Navegar por el Consumo de Sustancias de los Adolescentes en el Condado de Santa Cruz
Let's Talk: Navigating Youth Substance Use in
Santa Cruz County
"Empecemos Nuestra Charla" y "Hablemos" son recursos para padres y cuidadores sobre cómo apoyar a los adolescentes sobre los temas de la salud mental y consumo de sustancias. Los folletos se adaptaron de los folletos del mismo nombre de Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships por la Coalición de Prevenir las Sobredosis en la Costa Central (Condados de Santa Cruz, Monterey, y San Benito).
"Let's Start Talking" and "Let's Talk" are resources for parents and caregivers on how to support youth around the topics of mental health and substance use. The booklets were adapted from Marin Healthy Youth Partnership's booklets of the same name by the Central Coast Overdose Prevention Coalition (Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties).
SafeRx
RESOURCES
For the Community
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Resources for youth and families grieving loved ones, Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT), and Spanish speakers
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About the Epidemic
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Medications and Sharps Resources
History of SafeRx
SafeRx was originally brought together with funding from the California Health Care Foundation in November of 2015 to decrease opioid-related misuse and deaths by focusing on three federal priority areas:
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Safer prescribing practices
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Improved access to medication-assisted substance use disorder treatment
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Increased availability of overdose reversal medication (Naloxone, Narcan®)
Today, SafeRx is maintained through funding from the California Public Health Department, Janus' Hub and Spoke grant, and Santa Cruz County Substance Use Disorder Services Prevention Division. Rooted in the unique concept of opioid failure (the medications have failed the patient; the patient has not failed the treatment), SafeRx continues to address the local opioid epidemic.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee meets quarterly to help keep work groups on track
and provide guidance and support to initiative leads in meeting their goals.
Prescriber Practices Initiative
to develop resources for addressing the 3 federal priority areas: supporting safe prescribing, increasing access to MAT, and increasing access to Naloxone
Metrics Initiative
to develop a community dashboard with accurate, relevant, and easily tracked data
Community Education Initiative
to develop and publicize patient and community education messaging around prescription medication safety
SafeRx Partners
PARTNER PROGRAMS
Central Coast Recovery Options
Central Coast Recovery Options offers an integrated partnership with primary care to merge Janus of Santa Cruz's expertise in opioid use disorders, provide the necessary resources, and deliver continued training and support in an effort to increase access to treatment.
"Talk About It" Campaign
Community Prevention Partners' Talk About It campaign fosters an informed and compassionate county-wide response to substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Prescribe Safe Monterey
Prescribe Safe is meant to guide, educate, and provide resources for our local physicians and patients in the safe use of prescription medications and promote safe and effective pain management in Monterey County.