Anti-overdose drug Narcan available to people under Corrections community supervision in eight counties, eight more this summer
Ky. Health News map shows counties in HEALing Communities Study
—–
The anti-overdose drug Narcan is now available free of charge to people under community supervision by the state Department of Corrections in eight Kentucky counties, thanks to the state and a federal grant to the University of Kentucky, which is studying how to reduce overdose deaths.
Narcan is available free to supervisees, their families and and friends who live in or report to state probation-and-parole offices in Boyd, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Kenton and Madison counties. Eight more counties will be added this summer: Bourbon, Campbell, Carter, Greenup, Jefferson, Jessamine, Knox and Mason.
The 16 counties are in the HEALing Communities Study (Helping End Addiction Long-term), funded by an $87 million grant, UK’s largest ever. More than 500 units of Narcan have already been distributed, the state said.
Kentucky is one of four states in the national study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to investigate how tools for preventing and treating opioid misuse and opioid-use disorder are most effective locally. A major goal of the study is to expand access to Narcan to help prevent and stop opioid overdoses, the release said.
“We appreciate this partnership with HEAL to provide life-saving medication to our clients,” said corrections department Division of Addiction Services Director Sarah G. Johnson. “This program is essential, along with making sure people have access to treatment for their opioid use disorder and are able to work toward recovery.”
HEALing Communities Study Co-Investigator Carrie Oser said, “We are grateful to DOC for their partnership in reducing opioid overdose deaths. It’s well-documented that overdose education combined with naloxone saves lives.”