We always look for ways for our staff to learn from each other and our community partners. Every other month, we hold our Leading Program Staff meeting, where leaders from all our Clubs come together to share resources, participate in critical training, and network.

This month, the focus was on safety, and we were joined by David Baure, a Registered Nurse from King County Public Health. At the request of our teen staff, David led our teen directors and operations directors through training focused on Opioid overdoses and Naloxone usage.

Naloxone is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist—meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone.

Naloxone won’t harm someone if they’re overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it is best to use it if you think someone is overdosing.

While we hope never to use these skills within the Club itself, the reality of our commitment extends beyond our doors. This training equips our staff with the knowledge and tools to offer immediate help in crisis situations, demonstrating our commitment to safety, compassion, and care wherever they are.

We’re more than just a youth organization; we’re a dedicated community partner. By preparing our team members with these critical skills, we underscore our promise to show up every day, ready to help and prove that every individual has what it takes to meet challenges with resilience and hope.