Program Makes Lifesaving Narcan Free and Accessible to Local Businesses
The Community Overdose Action Team (COAT) is re-introducing a program that allows Montgomery County businesses to request a free lifesaving NaloxBox to be placed at an office or business location.
The NaloxBox contains the overdose-reversing drug naloxone (Narcan) and is similar to a mounted Automated External Defibrillator (AED), making this life-saving drug accessible to anyone in the event of an opioid drug overdose. The NaloxBox is designed to increase access to Narcan, reduce stigma, and save lives. The NaloxBox units are easily identifiable plastic surface-mounted enclosures that can be placed in a central location in high-traffic or high-risk buildings.
“The use of Narcan has proved to be very effective in the reversal of overdoses caused by opioids,” said Jennifer Wentzel, Health Commissioner, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County. “The more places we can make Narcan available, the more lives we can save.”
The NaloxBox improves the capacity of bystanders to save the lives of victims of opioid overdose by increasing access to naloxone with easy-to-use instructions to administer the drug. In the event of an overdose, bystanders should call 911 immediately and then use the NaloxBox to administer Narcan as directed.
“Our community has come together to tackle the nationwide opioid crisis, and we’ve been successful in reducing accidental overdose deaths and improving access to addiction treatment services,” said Dawn Schwartz, Community Overdose Action Team Project Manager, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County “Having naloxone readily available for local businesses is another step in the right direction, reducing the stigma around opioid addiction and providing free, life-saving medication to reverse the effects of an accidental overdose.”
To obtain Narcan for your business, contact Dawn Schwartz, Community Overdose Action Team Project Manager, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County at (937) 225-6026.
More information about the NaloxBox may be found here: https://www.naloxbox.org/