Bancroft is on the Cutting Edge of Opioid Overdose Prevention in Delaware’s Construction Industry

Again, this year, Bancroft Construction and the State of Delaware’s Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS) partnered to provide on-the-job opioid overdose prevention training to our employees and trade partners. Bancroft Construction is a drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free organization, which inspired our involvement with DHSS to share vital information regarding the Opioid crisis in Delaware. At the POD (Point of Distribution) training, we discuss the signs of Substance Abuse Disorder and the importance of eliminating the stigma around drug abuse. DHSS also offers lifesaving Narcan administration training and distributes Narcan kits to participants. Narcan (naloxone) is a lifesaving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose in mere minutes. Although opioid abuse is a national issue, Delaware is at the forefront and has the country’s second-highest drug overdose death rate. The construction industry, in particular, takes the brunt of the opioid epidemic due to the hazards of the job, which often lead to pain management. In addition, construction is primarily a male-dominated field, which makes up the majority of overdose deaths in Delaware (67%).  

Bancroft recognizes the profound risk to the communities we serve and the health and safety of our employees and families. Bancroft is proud to continue our partnership with DHSS; their team visited two of our job sites in 2021, and Bancroft was proud to host the lifesaving training again this year at our River House and CRISP projects, both located in Wilmington, DE. It is important to the Bancroft Team that we offer the training in the epicenter of Delaware’s opioid crisis, as the City of Wilmington, according to the 2017 Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report, has the highest known drug overdose death rate. Project Manager, Steve Ventresca, shared his thoughts on the training; “We are looking forward to the opportunity to learn a useful skill which can save lives.”  

For more information regarding the opioid epidemic in Delaware, visit https://myhealthycommunity.dhss.delaware.gov/stories/opioid-crisis or https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsamh/.   

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with Substance Abuse Disorder, help is available 24/7 at Delaware’s Hope Line: 833-9-HOPEDE or via https://www.helpisherede.com/.