COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN," WE MEET MONIKA SALVAGE, THE PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR HEALING CAYUGA.

CAYUGA COUNTY WAS ONE COUNTY THAT TESTED THE INTEGRATION OF PREVENTION OVERDOSE TREATMENT AND IMMEDIATE DAYS BASED TREATMENT IN SELECT COMMUNITIES HIT HARDEST BY THE OPIOID CRISIS.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MONIKA AND THE VITAL WORK SHE IS DOING TO REDUCE THE STIGMA AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PREVENT BARRIERS FROM TREATMENT AND PREVENTION.

♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ I'M UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ YEAH, I'M UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I AM YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS, AND WE ARE HERE AS ALWAYS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE THE WORK OF DIVERSE WOMEN THAT IS ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY.

TONIGHT IS NO DIFFERENT.

IT INCLUDES OUR GUEST.

I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE MONIKA SALVAGE AS THE PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR HEALING CAYUGA.

MONIKA WORKS TO REDUCE THE STIGMA AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THE GROWING OPIOID ADDICTION, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION NECESSARY TO SAVE LIVES.

WELCOME MONIKA.

HELLO.

>> HOW ARE YOU?

>> I'M DOING WELL, HOW ARE YOU?

>> I CAN'T COMPLAIN.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY?

>> I AM.

>> A LITTLE NERVOUS.

>> A LITTLE NERVOUS, YEAH IT'S NEW SITTING IN STUDIO.

>> WELL, WE TRIED TO MAKE IT VERY COMFORTABLE.

>> IT IS.

I LIKE THE COUCH.

>> HOMIE, RIGHT?

WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS AMAZING WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING IN CAYUGA COUNTY.

BUT FIRST WHY DON'T YOU TELL US ABOUT MONIKA SALVAGE.

WHO IS SHE?

>> A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND.

I GREW UP IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SIDE OF AUSTRIA IN EUROPE.

I HAD A PRETTY SHELTERED AND ISOLATED SCHIELDHOOD.

I WAS MOSTLY OUTSIDE ROAMING THE CREEKS AND THE WOODS.

AND I WAS RAISED PROBABLY BY THE MOST HARD WORKING PEOPLE I KNOW, MY PARENTS.

THEY BUILT OUR HOME.

THEY RAISED FOUR CHILDREN.

THEY TOOK CARE OF OUR FAMILY ON A SINGLE INCOME.

THEY NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT ALL THE WORK THEY DID AND EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO DO TO KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

AND ALL THE WHILE, STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS; PRETTY MUCH FOR THE MOST PART OF THEIR ADULT LIVES.

>> IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALL KNEW THEN OR WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARNED AS YOU GOT OLDER?

>> AS A CHILD, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT THEY WERE SICK; THAT THEY NEEDED HELP OR THAT THEY EVEN COULD HAVE GOTTEN HELP.

THAT WAS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN THE FAMILY.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING YOU DEALT WITH.

>> GOT IT.

>> AND YOU KEPT IT IN THE FAMILY.

>> YEAH, NOT TO BE TALKED ABOUT.

>> NO.

>> RIGHT.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TYPE OF STIGMA AND SHAME AROUND ADDICTION AND AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IS STILL PERVASIVE TODAY AND IT'S A BIG BARRIER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO SEEK HELP AND TREATMENT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP WORKING ON BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A BIG BARRIER AND IT'S PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM GETTING TOGETHERY.

>> AND WE WALK AROUND WITH A WEIGHT FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING SOMETIMES, TOO, RIGHT?

THAT THAT KEEPS THINGS GOING.

BUT KEEP GOING.

>> SURE.

SO WHEN YOU GREW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CONSTANTLY WAIT FOR THE NEXT OUTBURST OR THE NEXT FIGHT OR NEXT TUSSLE, YOU BECOME VERY AWARE AND YOU ARE ON YOUR GUARD A LOT.

AND YOU JUST STOP AND DUCK AND GET OUT OF THE WAY AND YOU GET GOOD AT BECOMING INVISIBLE SO YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE NEXT TARGET.

AND SO WITH ALL THIS EXPERIENCE INGRAINED IN YOU, THERE IS A NUMBER OF WAYS HOW THIS COULD PLAY OUT IN YOUR ADULT LIFE, RIGHT?

SO FOR ME, MY PAST TOOK ME FAR AWAY FROM MY SHELTERED CHILDHOOD.

I DIDN'T JUST LEAVE MY VILLAGE.

I LEFT THE COUNTRY.

AND THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT TO LEAVE THAT BEHIND.

HOWEVER, IT TOOK ME SEVERAL YEARS INTO MY ADULT LIFE TO BE AT PEACE WITH MY PARENTS AND WITH THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY HAD AND I KNEW THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD AND THE BEST THEY KNEW HOW.

AND THAT HAS TO BE ENOUGH.

AND SO THAT'S A LITTLES BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND AND HOW THAT EVENTUALLY PLAYS INTO THE WORK.

>> NOW HOW DID YOU GET FROM AUSTRIA TO CENTRAL NEW YORK?

WHAT BROUGHT YOU-- IT SOUND LIKE YOU TRAVELED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

SO I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT JOURNEY WAS LIKE THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE TO CENTRAL NEW YORK IF YOU DON'T MIND SHARING.

>> SURE.

SO I STARTED WORKING PRETTY EARLY IN MY LIFE.

OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN AUSTRIA SO PRETTY EARLY ON I HAD A JOB AND I WAS ON MY OWN.

DIDN'T REALLY LIKE WHAT I WAS DOING BUT I WAS MAKING MY OWN MONEY AND I WAS INDEPENDENT AND THAT IS WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.

BUT I ALWAYS LOVED THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, EVER SINCE I HAD IT IN SCHOOL.

SO AT 24, I DECIDED TO QUIT MY JOB, GET RID OF MY CAR AND MY APARTMENT AND I WAS GOING TO LIVE IN THE U.S. AND SO I CAME OVER HERE TO ROCHESTER.

I WORKED AS A LIVE-IN NANNY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I ALSO WENT TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN ROCHESTER.

AND SO WHEN I FINISHED THAT, I COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HERE IN THIS COUNTRY SO I WENT BACK TO AUSTRIA AND GOT ANOTHER FOUR-YEAR DEGREE.

AND IN THE MEANTIME, I DID A LOT OF TRAVELING THROUGH THOSE STUDIES WHICH WAS IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT THAT ALLOWED ME TO WORK AND STUDY AND LIVE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

SO I WANT TO ITALY FOR AN EX10ED PERIOD OF TIME.

I LIVED IN AFRICA, IN THE U.S. A COUPLE OF TIMES AND EVENTUALLY WHEN I MET MY HUSBAND, WHO IS FROM AUBURN, BY THE WAY, I CAME BACK TO UPSTATE NEW YORK ONCE MORE AND THIS TIME A LITTLE BIT MORE PERMANENTLY.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE I FOUND MY PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND NON-PROFIT WORK.

>> FULL CIRCLE.

>> YEAH.

I NEVER MEANT TO STAY HERE.

IT WAS ALWAYS TEMPORARY, BUT EVENTUALLY, I DID.

>> I'M THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAID YOU FIRST CAME OVER AND WORKING AS A NANNY, YOU WEREN'T FAR UP THE ROAD IN ROCHESTER.

>> NOT AT ALL.

>> AND THE IRONY OF MEETING SOMEONE AND COMING BACK AND BEING HERE IN AUBURN, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT , YOU HAD THIS WORLDLY EXPERIENCE.

YOU HAVE THIS CHILDHOOD THAT IS PROBABLY GOTTEN YOU REALLY PREPARED TO SEE THE WORLD WITH SOME TICKER LENSES, MAYBE THAN SOME OTHER RIGHT?

SO HOW DO YOU GET INTO SERVING OTHERS?

>> IT HAPPENED WHEN I MOVED HERE PERMANENTLY WITH MY HUSBAND.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY.

BESIDE HIM AND HIS FAMILY.

THEY'RE GREAT.

BUT THAT'S A VERY SMALL CIRCLE.

AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS I TRIED TO GET OUT AND REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT THIS COMMUNITY REALLY IS, I STARTED VOLUNTEERING.

AND I STARTED VOLUNTEERING AS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN AT SOME POINT I BECAME BOARD MEMBER OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRIA THAT WHOLE VOLUME TERRORISM-- VOLUNTEER.

WE DO HAVE IT I WAS JUST NEVER EXPOSED TO IT SO WHEN I DID, I MET NEW PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT CAUSES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY SERVED.

AND YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE ALL DIFFERENT CAUSES FROM EDUCATION TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT I TRIED OUT AND THAT I VOLUNTEERED MY TIME FOR AND THAT JUST INSTILLED THAT DESIRE IN ME TO KEEP GOING WITH THAT AND MAYBE EVEN DO IT AS A JOB.

NOT JUST ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS.

>> AND SO THAT WORK BEING EXPOSED TO THAT AREA OF WORK, AND I WAS TALKING TO YOU ABOUT OF THE SHOW ABOUT-- BEFORE THE SHOW ABOUT HOW I WAS EXPOSED VERY EARLY TO THE WORLD OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION THROUGH MY GRANDMOTHER'S CENTER.

SO I COULD REALLY RELATE TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, WHEN YOU ARE EXPOSED TO SOMETHING, IT OPENS UP A DOOR IN A BROADER WORLD VIEW ABOUT HOW CAN YOU BE OF SERVICE TO THOSE NEEDS.

AND SO DOES THAT ENGAGEMENT SOMEHOW CONNECT YOU TO COMING INTO BEING THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR CAYUGA HEALING?

>> NOT REALLY.

>> NO.

THAT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE HOW THAT HAPPENED.

I REALLY NEVER INTENDED TO WORK IN THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE FIELD.

AFTER ALL, THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND SO I DID NOT PLAN TO DO THAT AT ALL.

MY CAREER GOALS OR AT LEAST THE JOBS THAT I HELD IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT WERE MORE ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL SIDE.

SO IT WAS NEVER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE SUFFERING OR WHO NEEDED HELP.

IT WAS ALWAYS THROUGH THE LENS OF, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OR WORKING FOR A DEPARTMENT, BUT NEVER REALLY THE DIRECT SERVICE PER SE.

AND SO WHEN MY FORMER SUPERVISOR CAME UP TO ME AND SAID HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MANAGING A COUNTY WIDE OPIOID INITIATIVE, I DON'T THINK I INTO YOU WHAT OPIOIDS WERE AT THAT TIME.

AND HE THOUGHT THAT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING YOU COULD LEARN.

BUT HE KNEW I COULD RUN COUNTY WIDE INITIATIVES BECAUSE I HAD DONE THAT BEFORE.

SO THEY NEEDED A PROJECT MANAGER, THEY NEEDED SOMEBODY WHO COULD COORDINATE THAT AND GET THE WRORD OUT.

SO I WAS VERY HESITANT AT FIRST TO ACTUALLY ACCEPT THE POSITION BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SOMETHING I HAD PLANNED AND PLUS SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT I EXPERIENCED IN MY CHILDHOOD CAME BACK TO ME AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT TO GET THAT CLOSE, OPIOIDS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM ALCOHOL IN SOME WAYS.

BUT STILL... >> THE TRIGGER.

>> EXACTLY.

>> IT'S STILL A FORM OF ADDICTION AND IT OPENED ME UP TO THOSE MEMORIES, AGAIN-- ON THE OTHER HAND, LOOKING BACK, I KNOW SO MUCH MORE NOW THAN I DID THREE YEARS AGO AND I JUST FEEL SO DIFFERENTLY ABOUT ADDICTION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM IT AND I JUST HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT BELIEVING OF-- UNDERSTANDING OF EVEN OF MY OWN PARENTS AND WHAT THEY MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH BECAUSE AS A KID, YOU SEE IT A LOT DIFFERENTLY.

>> AND THEN YOU BECOME AN ADULT AND YOU REALIZE THINGS ARE A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.

>> YES.

>> THAN WHAT THEY WERE WHEN WE WERE GROWING.

AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU STUCK THROUGH IT.

>> I GAVE IT A SHOT.

AND LIKE IF YOU THINK THAT I CAN DO THIS, AND I GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT BECAUSE HE SAW SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T SEE AT THE TIME, AND AGAIN IT WAS VERY HESITANT ABOUT TAKING THIS ON.

BUT I KNEW IF I DO TAKE THIS ON KNOWING THAT I'M NOT FROM THE FIELD, THAT I DON'T HAVE THAT BACKGROUND BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO DO, I DON'T WANT TO LOOK STUPID, RIGHT?

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND SO I SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND WEEKS AND LEADING UP TO THIS PROJECT WHEN IT STARTED, LEARNING EVERYTHING I COULD ABOUT WHAT OPIOIDS WERE, THE ADDICTION, THE CRISIS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY SO I COULD TALK INTELLIGENTLY ABOUT IT, ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING OR COULD BE DOING.

>> TONIGHT I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CENTRAL NEW YORK, I WAS WORKING AS THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES AND DOING A LOT OF PREVENTION EDUCATION WORK.

SO I WAS INVOLVED WHEN THIS NARCAN TRAINING, AND WE HAVE THE THINGS HERE IN FRONT OF US.

BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT HOW TO ADMINISTER NARCAN.

AND SO WHEN I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THIS PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, I WAS SENDING MY STAFF TO IT BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEVER LEAPED OUT THERE TO DO.

SO I HAVE BEEN AVOIDING IT.

SO THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENTS AGAINMENT.

>> IT'S TIME AND I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

IT'S NOT SCARY.

IT'S NOT-- YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, BUT YOU CAN END UP SAVING A LIFE WITH IT.

>> SO TALK TO ME ABOUT WE KNOW THE OPIOID CRISIS IS A RAMPANT ONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHARE WITH US-- AS I GET MY NERVES TOGETHER.

>> YOUR NERVES?

>> TO ADMINISTER THIS.

LISTEN, WE ARE BOTH IN A DIFFERENT SEAT TONIGHT.

AND SO I'M GOING TO LEARN HOW TO ADMINISTER NARCAN.

BUT TALK TO US, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE NORMALIZING, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY OF OPIOID ADDICTION, DRUG ADDICTION IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND THE KITS FOR NARCAN SO THAT IF YOU NEED TO UTILIZE IT IN SOME WAY, YOU WOULD BE PREPARED TO DO SO?

>> SO FOR CAYUGA COUNTY, YOU CAN GO ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.

IT'S CAYUGACOUNTY.US.

IT'S RIGHT THERE.

AND YOU CAN WATCH A SHORT VIDEO, YOUR TRAINING VIDEO, TO KNOW HOW TO ADMINISTER IT.

AND THEN YOU CAN REQUEST SFREE NARCAN AND WE MAIL IT TO PEOPLE'S HOMES.

SO THAT'S OUR NEW THING THAT WE STARTED WITH THE PANDEMIC WHEN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.

>> YOU CAN JUST GO ONLINE AND REQUEST IT.

I'M PRETTY SURE ONONDAGA COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTIES ACROSS ACROSS THE STATE CAN DO THAT.

I'M GOING ABOUT LIFE, IT SHOWS UP AT THE HOUSE.

AND I MAY BE OUT SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING HAPPENS AT AN EVENT OR SOMETHING THAT MAYBE I AM ATTENDING IN WHICH SOMEONE IS PASSED OUT, NOT COMING TO AND THERE IS SOME SUSPICION THAT THEY MAY HAVE OVERDOSED.

I HAVE MY NARCAN KIT.

>> AND IT'S THE FIRST THING, RIGHT?

BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MAKE MUCH SENSE TO GET TRAINED ON NARCAN, GET NARCAN AND THEN YOU HAVE IT SOMEWHERE IN A DRAWER.

>> NO, HAVE YOU TO CARRY IT ON YOU.

>> PUT IT IN YOUR BAG LIKE HOT SAUCE.

>> AND YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUT.

SO THIS IS THE KIT THAT YOU WOULD BET IN THE MAIL OR AT SOME OF OUR TRAINING EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TIME.

AND THERE KIT CONTAINS TWO NASAL SPRAYS.

>> IT LOOKS JUST LIKE ALLERGY MEDICINE.

>> BASICALLY A LITTLE PUMPING THING COMES WITH TWO OF THOSE AND I TAKE IT OUT OF THE BOX AND HAVE I TWO OF THOSE LITTLE ONES AND THEY FIT EASILY IN A PURSE OR WHAT EVER BACKPACK, WHATEVER YOU HAVE ON YOU.

AND THEN THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU TAKE IT OUT.

AND SO IT'S REALLY A VERY EASY TO OPERATE NASAL SPRAY.

YOU HAVE THE RED PLUNGER HERE IN THE BACK AND YOU CAN SPRAY.

THERE IS NOTHING COMING OUT RIGHT NOW.

>> NOTHING COMING OUT.

IT'S SAFE.

>> BUT FOR EASE OF USE AND TO SEE THAT IT'S REALLY NOT HARD TO USE AT ALL, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT IS AND YOU ADMINISTER IT IN THE NOSE.

BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, REALIZE THAT SOMEBODY IS ACTUALLY OVERDOSES OR THAT NARCAN MAY BE NEEDED.

SO THERE ARE SOME SIGNS THAT YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR.

SAY SOMEBODY IS UNCONSCIOUS.

IF SOMEBODY IS, YOU KNOW,NOT BREATHING OR BREATHING VERY SHALLOWLY OR, YOU KNOW, HAS LIKE ALMOST LIKE A GURGLE WILLING GOING ON.

COLD, CLAMMY SKIN, BLUISH, PIN POINT PUPILS BUT IF THEY'RE PASSED OUT YOU MAY NOT SEE THAT.

WAS WE TELL PEOPLE IN GENERAL BECAUSE IT'S SO PERVASIVE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY SLUMPED OVER IN AN ENVIRONMENT OR IN A SITUATION WHERE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, ASSUME THAT THAT PERSON HAS OVERDOSED SO IT CAN BE IN THE PARKING LOT OF A STORE, IT CAN BE IN A BATHROOM SOMEWHERE.

IT CAN BE IN THE PARK AT AN EVENT.

ASSUME THAT.

AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR NARCAN ON YOU, THAT'S THE FIRST RIGHT STEP.

AND BEING ABLE TO RESPOND.

AND SO IF YOU APPROACH THAT PERSON, YOU WANT TO YELL AT THAT PERSON, HEY, ARE YOU OKAY?

AND SEE IF THEY RESPOND.

YOU MAY WANT TO WALK UP AND TAP THEM ON THE SHOULDER TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE REALLY UNCONSCIOUS AND NOT JUST SLEEPING.

: SO IF YOU DO A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE, AND THERE IS, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THAT INDICATES THAT THE PESH IS ONLY SLEEPING, YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT YOUR NARCAN AND YOU BASICALLY PUSH IT UP THE PERSON'S NOSE IN ONE SQUIRT AND EVERYTHING COMES OUT AND THEN CALL 91 IS BECAUSE IT-- CALL 911.

IT IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

YOU WANT TO MONITOR AND YOU WANTED TO HAVE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THERE.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE, IT MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES UNTIL FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVE, RIGHT?

SO YOU HAVE TWO DOSES IN THAT KIT.

>> SO IF I DO THIS JUST ONE TIME... >> THAT'S EMPTY.

>> THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TWO.

JUST IN CASE IT TAKES A WHILE FOR SOMEONE TO GET THERE.

>> YOU WANT TO WAIT TWO TO THREE MINUTES TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PERSON.

DO THEY COME TO?

DO THEY START TALKING?

DO THEY START MOVING?

IF THEY DO, YOU KNOW, GET THEM COMFORTABLE, TALK TO THEM, WAIT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.

IF THEY DON'T RESPOND AT ALL, AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE NOT HERE YET, YOU WANT TO USE YOUR SECOND DOSE AND PUT IT INTO THE OTHER NOSTRIL AND HOPEFULLY BY THAT TIME... >> WHAT EXACTLY IS NARCAN.

>> SO NARCAN IS A MEDICATION THAT REVERSES THE EFFECTS OF AN OVERDOSE.

SO BASICALLY IT BLOCKS THE EFFECTS OF OPIOIDS THAT ARE IN YOUR BODY.

AND SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OPIOIDS, THEY COME IN DIFFERENT FORMS.

IT COULD BE HEROIN, IT COULD BE SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS THAT FENTANYL THAT YOU HEAR A LOT IN THE NEWS RIGHT NOW.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE PAIN RELIEVERS THAT CONTAIN OPIOIDS.

SUCH AS OXYCONTIN, VICODIN, PERCOCET, MORPHINE, CODEINE, SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS YOU CAN OVERDOSE ON, YOU KNOW, ACCIDENTALLY.

IF YOU TAKE TOO MANY OF THOSE PILLS.

AND THAT'S WHAT NARCAN WORKS FOR.

ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAS ANYTHING WITH OPIOIDS IN IT, THAT'S WHAT IT WORKS ON.

BUT IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN ONE DOSE.

>> THIS IS-- IT WASN'T AS BAD AS I THOUGHT IT WAS.

>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT NOW?

>> YOU SAY ADMINISTER FAR CANNES, IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING FOR SOMEONE THAT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONDER FIELD.

I WAS TALKING WITH SOMEONE LAST NIGHT AND THEY'RE LIKE JUHANNA, IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

AND IT REALLY SEALS LIKE I COULD PUT IT IN MY PURSE, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTER IT IF I NEEDED TO WITHOUT NEEDING TO LIKE DO A WHOLE LOT OF MEDICAL FIRST RESPONDER THINGS OUTSIDE OF ASKING IF YOU ARE CAN.

TAPPING THEM.

MAKING SURE THEY'RE NOT JUST SLEEPING.

AND ONE SQUIRT, WAIT A COUPLE OF MOMENTS, MAKE SURE.

>> A FEW MINUTES.

TWO TO THREE MINUTES.

>> TWO TO THREE MINUTES.

>> BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE NARCAN BACK TO BACK.

IT'S A WASTE AND IT'S ALSO NOT HELPFUL.

>> YOU WAIT TWO ON TO THREE MINUTES.

IF THEY NEED IT AGAIN, FIRST RESPONDERS HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE, THEN YOU DO IT AGAIN AND MAKE SURE THAT FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ON THE WAY.

>> RIGHT.

AND CALLING 911 IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SAY YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THAT PERSON WHO HAS BEEN USING THE OPIOIDS AND MAYBE YOU HAVE USED YOURSELF.

PEOPLE MAY BE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT CALLING 911.

NEW YORK STATE HAS A BOOED SAMARITAN LAW THAT YOU ARE PROTECTED IF YOU CALL 911.

UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN USING WITH THE PERSON OR EVEN IF YOU HAVE SMALL AMOUNTS OF CERTAIN DRUGS ON YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CRIMINAL CHARGES UNLESS YOU HAVE A BENCH WARRANT OUT OR SOMETHING.

SOMETHING ELSE BIGGER, BUT THE IMPORTANT PART IS, YOU KNOW, CALL 911.

>> WELL I WANT TO THANK YOU, 1: FOR COMING ON AND SHARING YOUR STORY, BUT ALSO FOR TAKING THE LEAP AND FACING SOME OF YOUR OWN STORY AND YOUR HISTORY TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT IS NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MONIKA FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND ALLOWING US TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS SHOW AGAIN, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

♪ ♪ NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN,."

>> I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE Dr. JAMILA MICHENER.

>> SAYING THAT I WOULD BE A TENURED PROFESSOR AT AN IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTION WOULD HAVE BEEN SO FAR FROM MY RADAR.

OUR CLASS THIS SEMESTER IS DEVOTED TO THINKING CAREFULLY ABOUT RACE AND RACISM AND HOW THEY MANIFEST IN POLITICS.

I JUST REMEMBER THINKING WHY DOES IT SEEM THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT WE LIVE AND THERE IS ANOTHER WAY THAT OTHER FOLKS LIVE.

I CAN PURSUE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE QUESTIONS.