Charles Fontier, MD
Charles Fontier, MD
Community Resources
Refer a patient
During a high risk
During a high-risk pregnancy, HeRCARe is important!
The call center is staffed by experienced registered nurses 24/7.
Hotlines - Have questions or need support?
If you believe an individual may have overdosed, they show changes in consciousness, are having difficulty breathing or displaying signs of a heart attack call 9-1-1 immediately.
Syringe Service Programs
Also called “needle exchange” or “syringe exchange,” provides access to clean and sterile equipment for the preparation and consumption of drugs as well as tools for the prevention and reversal of opioid overdoses, such as naloxone training and distribution, fentanyl test strips, and more.
Increase Access to MOUD
MOUD is a pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Agonist drugs, such as methadone and buprenorphine, activate opioid receptors in the brain that prevents painful withdrawal symptoms without causing euphoria and naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids.
Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Fentanyl Test Strips
Fentanyl is a powerful, fast-acting opioid that increases the risk of overdose. Very often, it is mixed in with other drugs, such as heroin, coke, crack, and pressed pills, and is very difficult to detect. As a result, fentanyl in illicit drugs changes the landscape of opioid overdose dramatically.
How to Recognize and Respond to an Opioid Overdose
Opioids are currently the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. During an overdose, breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death. You don't have to be a medical professional to identify the signs or help, the important thing is to act quickly.
Good Samaritan Law
Many overdose deaths are preventable, yet people often fear arrest if they call 9-1-1 for help at the scene of a drug overdose. AB 472, California’s Good Samaritan law provides limited protections from arrest, charge, and/or prosecution for people seeking emergency medical assistance at the scene of a suspected drug overdose.