WLU Joins Statewide Initiative to Keep Students Safe

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Nov. 10, 2022 — West Liberty University is participating in an overdose prevention initiative, created for West Virginia college and university campuses, entitled, Be The One. The initiative is the first of its kind and will focus on opioid overdose prevention from a bystander’s perspective, encouraging students, staff and faculty to Be The One to save a life. 

A project of the initiative includes the distribution and installation of the ONEbox. ™

“West Liberty University is happy to be a part of this important initiative. With the nationwide opioid epidemic, having naloxone available at all times reduces the chance of an opioid overdose. This is another step to help keep our students safe,” said Christy Bennington, RN, BSN, who serves as WLU’s director of Student Health Services.

The ONEbox™ is an on-demand, one-of-a-kind, technology-enabled opioid overdose rescue response kit that contains two doses of opioid reversal medication, naloxone. The box also contains instantaneous video instructions that are activated when ONEbox™ is opened. This video talks the responder through the overdose emergency and administration of naloxone. A training mode is also available for use during a non-emergency.

WLU’s ONEbox, which contains 2 doses of Naloxone, is located in the lower level of Shaw Hall, in the corridor between Student Health Services and Campus Police, and is accessible 24 hours a day.

The campus community is reminded to always call 911 when Naloxone is used. Additional information and training on the use of Naloxone can be found on the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WVDII) website linked here.

Be The One Initiative was created by the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Program (WVCRN) and the WVDII, with the goal of increasing prevention and recovery efforts on West Virginia campuses, educating individuals in medication safety, and training them how to properly respond to an overdose. The ONEbox was created by Murphy Media, Inc. and is managed by WVDII.

“We believe naloxone should be easily accessible everywhere and through our partnerships with WVDII, colleges and universities around the state we are decreasing stigma and providing vital resources to help save lives,” explained Susie Mullens, director of the WVCRN.

As someone who worked on college campuses for 25 years, and responded to campus overdose, Dr. Susan Bissett, president of the WV DII believes that this initiative is much needed. “College campuses are representative of the communities in which they are housed; and they are often the hub for activity in their town,” said Dr. Bissett. “Our campus buildings have AEDs, first aid kits and fire extinguishers and so the ONEbox is just one more way to keep our campuses, our students and our communities safe.” 

For more information regarding WLU’s participation in the Be The One initiative, please contact Bennington at 304.336.8049 or via email at cbennington@westliberty.edu.

For more information regarding the Be The One initiative, the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network, or the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute please contact Dr. Susan Bissett at: susan@wvdii.org or Susie Mullens at: mullens20@marshall.edu, or call 681.205.2287.