State Attorney General Announces New Program to Place Life-Saving Naloxone Kits in Schools

BILLINGS – Attorney General Austin Knudsen on Friday announced a Montana Department of Justice program to place life-saving opioid reversal kits in Montana high schools.

The program builds on Attorney General Knudsen’s mission to combat the fentanyl crisis in the state and save lives, according to a press release from his office.

The kit contains the tools needed to resuscitate someone with an opioid overdose, including naloxone (a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose), instructions on how to administer naloxone, a CPR mask, a CPR face shield, and educational information.

“These naloxone kits help us save lives. The fentanyl crisis is widespread in Montana and it permeates every inch of our communities, including schools. Educating students about the dangers of fentanyl is the first step to preventing more tragedies, but having naloxone on hand helps schools be prepared for the worst-case scenario. It’s more important than ever as Mexican cartels become more creative in disguising the deadly drug as candy and other drugs. Knudsen said. “As attorney general, I will continue to do everything I can to keep fentanyl out of our communities. Please do your part and talk to your children about the dangers of illegal drugs. Together, we can save lives.”

Knudsen made the announcement and delivered the first naloxone kit to Billings Senior High School. He was joined by Billings Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia and Division of Criminal Investigation Drug Intelligence Officer Will Janisch. The program is a partnership with the Montana Department of Justice and Facing Fentanyl.

According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 326 children ages 0 to 17 visited the emergency room or were hospitalized for an accidental overdose in 2022. Last year, 276 children visited the emergency room or hospital for the same reason.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,582 children between the ages of 0 and 19 died from drug overdoses in 2022.

Fentanyl seizures by Montana anti-drug task forces have increased dramatically in recent years. In the first quarter of 2024, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces seized a total of 163,184 fentanyl dosage units in Montana, compared to 65,142 during the same period in 2023.

During the whole of last year, a total of 398,000 dosage units were seized. In 2022, 188,823 dosage units were seized and in 2021, 60,557 dosage units were seized.

The State Crime Lab preliminary reported 22 fentanyl overdose deaths in June 2024 — up from 80 in 2023. However, that number does not reflect the total number in the state, as the crime lab only verifies deaths where an autopsy has been performed.

To address the problem in Montana, Attorney General Knudsen secured funding for two drug agents in the Division of Criminal Investigation during the 2023 legislative session.

He also sponsored bills to help combat the crisis, including House Bill 791, which would impose a mandatory two-year prison sentence and a $50,000 fine, or both, on anyone convicted of selling fentanyl in Montana. Senate Bill 67 also revises the drugs classified as Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV and Schedule V controlled substances, providing updates to each list, allowing for more prosecutions at the state level.

In addition to increasing the number of agents dedicated to drug enforcement and high-profile cases at the Montana Department of Justice, Attorney General Knudsen has appointed a statewide drug intelligence officer to support local law enforcement and public health agencies. He has also created a grant program that has deployed two dozen K9s to the state for drug detection.

Additionally, Attorney General Knudsen continues to hold the federal government accountable for its role in the fentanyl crisis. Earlier this year, he testified at a U.S. House impeachment hearing against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his failure to enforce federal immigration law and properly secure the southern border.

Attorney General Knudsen has also called on the Biden-Harris administration to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations and classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.

“We appreciate our partnership with the Attorney General’s Office and their efforts to keep students safe,” said Dr. Garcia.