LAKEPORT >> Lakeport Unified School District dispatched a press release November 16 informing that a student was found disoriented from some type of chemical ingestion and summoned first responders.
LUSD Superintendent Matt Bullard explained at the end of the school day, Nov. 14 a medical emergency connected with symptoms of a chemical overdose or poisoning happened on campus in Lakeport. “This incident has been referred to the Lakeport Police Department and is currently being investigated,” he said in a press release.
“Tomorrow, and for as long as needed, LUSD will have additional counselors and support providers on campus for students and staff impacted by today’s event,” Bullard noted shortly after the incident.
“In order to promote a safe school environment, LUSD will be partnering with the Lakeport Police Department to randomly search all campus facilities with narcotics detection dogs,” he added. “Please talk with your children and loved ones about the dangers associated with drugs and alcohol.”
Lakeport Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen said police responded immediately to the emergency along with the fire department. They found the teen female in the midst of severe alcohol intoxication, and she was transported to a local hospital. “Late Tuesday afternoon she was released to the care of her parents,” Rasmussen said.
He added that although it was determined that “significant alcohol intoxication” led to the student having been taken to the hospital, law enforcement is still reviewing the particulars. Rasmussen said there was an investigation that is still ongoing to make sure nothing else was involved. The police chief confirmed that as part of protocol and as a safety precaution, law enforcement officials utilized the department’s narcotics detection dogs.
Lakeport Unified makes use of a school resource officer and a probation officer, being the only district currently employing both, but according to Rasmussen other schools have SROs as well, through their own city contracts. Additionally, Lakeport has received over $68,600 in opioid settlement funds as a result of California joining multiple national lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, and other entities responsible for aiding the opioid epidemic.
According to the California Department of Health Care Services, Lakeport has been the beneficiary of multiple opioid settlement payments. On July 21, 2021, a $26 billion offer to settle was made by opioid manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals (parent company of Johnson & Johnson) and the “big three” distributors, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Cardinal Health to resolve their liabilities in over 3,000 opioid crisis-related lawsuits throughout the country. According to DHCS, It’s estimated that California will receive approximately $2.05 billion from the Janssen and Distributors Settlement Agreements through 2038.
Rasmussen has said in the past that his department will use the funding, among other projects, to raise awareness of the crisis at every school campus in Lake County and to partner with the community to arrive at solutions.
The swift and efficient response provided the necessary medical intervention needed in a timely manner noted Bullard. He went on to state that unfortunately, the Clear Lake community, like many communities across the country, is recognizing an increase in chemical health emergencies.
