Hardin County coroner and QRT report fewer overdoses, expanded naloxone outreach

Coroner Pat Elmore reported to the Hardin County Fiscal Court on Oct. 28 that the coroner’s office handled 90 cases in August (including four accidents, two motor vehicle collisions, overdoses, three suicides, 82 natural deaths, and one autopsy) and 89 cases in September (four accidents, two fall injuries, several overdoses involving methamphetamine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and cocaine, 82 natural deaths, two suicides and two infant autopsies).

Elmore told the court autopsy cases have surged this year and explained the two infant autopsies are extending investigative timeframes.

Justin Blair, Quick Response Team (QRT) coordinator, briefed the court on outreach for September. Blair said the team visited 67 residential units through a “block by block” initiative, made contact with homeowners at 27 of those addresses, distributed 228 naloxone kits across September and other recent events, and handed out more than 300 resource guides over multiple engagements. Blair said the county partnered with Helping Evolve Recovery and hosted two naloxone training sessions at the Goodwill Opportunity Center that drew 165 attendees; at that event the QRT distributed 208 naloxone kits, 225 resource guides and 10 backpacks.

Blair also reported social media metrics for the QRT program (about 1,500 followers, 564,000 views, 8,400 interactions and 17,000 page visits across platforms) and said he completed a grant-writing certification course this week. He credited EMS staff for enabling tracking of a ‘‘leave behind’’ naloxone distribution program in the county’s ESO records system.

The coroner and QRT requested no formal action from the court; their reports were presented for information and ongoing coordination with public safety partners.