Indiana is partnering with a non-profit organization to place overdose reversal kits in businesses and community facilities statewide.
Governor Eric Holcomb and the Family Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction announced the partnership with Overdose Lifeline Inc. on Friday.
This will expand access to the opioid reversal agent naloxone through the purchase of 24/7-access “NaloxBox” units.
Any business or community entity committed to helping Hoosiers at risk of opioid overdose is eligible to request a NaloxBox unit to install in an accessible and highly visible area. Community partners who receive a unit will be responsible for monitoring the NaloxBox location daily and requesting naloxone refills after use.
A NaloxBox is a hard acrylic box mounted to an exterior wall that provides 24/7 access to naloxone and is an effective measure of addressing the increase of opioid overdoses in Indiana. Each unit contains six to eight doses of naloxone, instructions for use, and treatment referral cards.
Overdose Lifeline, Inc., an Indiana nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals, families and communities affected by substance use disorder through advocacy, education, harm reduction, prevention, resources, and support, intends to purchase and place 215 NaloxBox units across the state, including at least one in every county.
Overdose Lifeline, Inc. has negotiated a purchase price with the manufacturer of $58,200 to include 215 NaloxBox units and shipping costs. Funds were made available by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s state opioid response grant.
Businesses or community entities who wish to receive a NaloxBox should contact Justin Phillips, founder and executive director of Overdose Lifeline, Inc. at justin@overdoselifeline.org.
This initiative is in addition to an existing collaboration with Overdose Lifeline, Inc. announced by Gov. Holcomb in May 2020 to fund a nearly $1 million distribution of naloxone to ensure the medication reaches Hoosiers who are at risk of overdose.
First responders, families, caregivers, and other individuals who would like to receive a supply of naloxone can register online at www.overdoselifeline.org/2020-indiana-naloxone-request.
