community

You Don't Have to Be a Doctor to Save a Life

Everyday ways DC residents can recognize the signs of substance use, respond to an overdose, and connect a neighbor, friend, or family member to care.

What You Can Do

Physicians and clinics are only part of the response to the opioid crisis. Family members, neighbors, coworkers, and friends are often the first to notice a problem — and the first people someone in crisis will turn to, if they turn to anyone at all. Here's where to start:

  • Reduce stigma. Notice how you talk about substance use — with family, at work, online. Judgmental language keeps people from asking for help; treating addiction as a medical condition, not a moral failure, makes it easier for someone to be honest with you.

  • Carry naloxone and learn to use it. Naloxone (brand name Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose in minutes and is safe to give even if you're not sure what someone took. It's available for free or low cost at many DC pharmacies and through DBH-supported distribution sites, often without a prescription.

  • Check in on people who seem isolated. A phone call, a visit, or simply asking “how are you really doing?” can matter more than you'd think — especially for older residents or people who've been managing substance use quietly for years.

  • Know one or two places to point someone toward. You don't need to have the perfect words. Knowing where to send someone — the DC Access Helpline, the resource guide below — is often the most useful thing you can offer.

  • Get trained. Community trainings on naloxone administration and Mental Health First Aid are periodically offered through DBH and community partners, including YNC. These are open to anyone, not just medical professionals. DC's Department of Behavioral Health offers a free, on-demand online course — Overdose Prevention and Naloxone (Narcan®) Education for the Community — available anytime at dbhtraininginstitute.networkofcare4elearning.org (search “Overdose Prevention and Naloxone” in the course catalog). To request a live session led by a certified trainer for a group of five or more, contact the DBH Training Institute at (202) 673-2200.

  • Advocate. Support local funding for treatment access, harm reduction, and prevention services — and stay informed about how opioid settlement dollars are being spent in the District.

How to Recognize the Signs

Substance use disorder doesn't always look the way people expect. It can develop quietly, in someone who is otherwise holding down a job, raising a family, or showing up every day. A few patterns are worth paying attention to in someone you care about:

Behavioral changes

  • Withdrawing from family, friends, or activities they used to enjoy

  • Increasing secrecy about daily activities, finances, or whereabouts

  • Financial problems that don't have an obvious explanation, or borrowing money frequently

  • Neglecting responsibilities at work, school, or home

  • Mood swings, irritability, or periods of unusual energy followed by unusual fatigue

Physical signs

  • Drowsiness, or “nodding off” at unusual times

  • Slurred speech or difficulty staying awake in conversation

  • Constricted (pinpoint) pupils

  • Wearing long sleeves in warm weather, or other efforts to conceal the skin

  • Changes in appetite, sleep patterns, or noticeable weight change

Where to Turn

If you or someone you care about needs help, you don't have to figure out where to start on your own. Our Local Treatment & Support Resources guide brings together DC's 24/7 crisis lines, the Assessment and Referral Center (ARC), and community-based treatment providers across the District — all in one place.

Start with the DC DBH Access Helpline at 1-888-793-4357, available 24 hours a day, or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) for any mental health, substance use, or emotional crisis. See the full resource guide for detailed contact information, addresses, and what to expect from each option.

Get Involved With Your Neighborhood Clinic

Your Neighborhood Clinic (YNC) is a Washington, DC nonprofit community mental health clinic providing education and mental health treatment to under- and uninsured residents. The EPIC Program is one part of YNC's broader mission to make quality behavioral health care accessible across the District — and there are several ways the community can plug in:

  • Volunteer. Reach out to learn about current volunteer roles, from administrative support to community outreach.

  • Refer someone to care. If you know someone who needs mental health or substance use support, contact YNC directly to learn about intake and eligibility.

  • Partner with us. Community organizations, schools, faith groups, and providers interested in collaborating with YNC or the EPIC Program are welcome to reach out.

  • Ask about training opportunities. Students and early-career clinicians interested in practicum or internship opportunities can contact YNC to ask about current openings.