In the beginning of 2022, the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network, and Marshall University, a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, launched an overdose prevention initiative on every public and private college campus in West Virginia. The program, entitled, “Be The One” focuses on opioid overdose prevention from a bystander’s perspective, encouraging students, staff, and faculty to “be the one” to save a life.

The program has many helpful resources to educate individuals on college campuses on how to assist others. There are five resources include: (1) an online recovery ally training curriculum (Be the One Recovery Ally Training); (2) an online naloxone training curriculum (Be the One – Naloxone Training Program); (3) an online educational course curriculum on substance use (Be the One – Safer U); (4) an online educational training curriculum on medication safety and responsibilities (Be the One – Smart RxU Student); and (5) ONEBox™, an emergency opioid overdose reversal kit. Invented by a West Virginia entrepreneur, ONEBoxes have been installed on the campuses of 29 colleges in the state and were paid for by grant funding so that the institutions did not have to expend any money for them.

ONEbox™ is an on-demand technology-enabled opioid overdose rescue kit containing two doses of naloxone, personal protective equipment, and instantaneous video instructions (in English and in Spanish) that are activated when the box is opened. The video talks the responder through the administration of naloxone, rescue breathing, and briefing emergency officials. A training mode is also available for use during a non-emergency.

For more information on the “Be the One” program or the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network, contact project coordinator, Susie Mullens, at mullens20@marshall.edu.