The Shield

Narcan Nancy: A Conversation with Candace Rachel

Addiction Prevention Coalition Season 1 Episode 28

Join us as Candace Rachel, the Rapid Response Coordinator for the Jefferson County Department of Health’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) initiative, tells us about the work that is being done to combat opioid overdoses in Alabama. 

Candace, who is jokingly known as “Narcan Nancy” by many people she has trained on how to administer Naloxone, discusses how she became interested in working with people, who are less resourced. She also discusses her love for APC’s pop-up resource fairs, which are hosted in areas with high overdose rates and few resources. Pop-up resource fairs are designed to meet people where they are and take resources directly to people, who need them the most. Candace also discusses the reduction in the perception of risk of adolescent substance use, and the importance of parents talking to their children about substance use.  

Naloxone (Narcan) is now available over the counter, but it can still be obtained for free through the Jefferson County Department of Health for Alabama residents. 

https://jcdh.org/SitePages/Programs-Services/CommunityHealth/SubstanceUseandAddiction/NaloxoneFentanylTraining.aspx