Indiana, May 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Distribution of Naloxone and education about how to prevent, recognize and intervene in overdoses is done with the goal of preventing overdose-related death. Overdose Lifeline, Inc. intends to purchase and place NaloxBoxes across the state, including at least one in every county.
Indianapolis, IN, USA – Indiana Health Centers, Inc. (IHC) will be installing NaloxBoxes at all their health centers and WIC locations across the state, making the life-saving medication Naloxone available to anyone who needs it. This is a free community resource available 24/7 and each box will be restocked regularly. Anyone who wants to obtain a free Naloxone kit can do so anytime, without an appointment or identifying themselves. The boxes are part of a state-wide project coordinated by Overdose Lifeline and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction.
A NaloxBox is an emergency overdose kit attached to the outside wall of a public building. Each box contains multiple doses of Naloxone, which is a nasal spray that can be used for emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. The NaloxBox also includes instructions and referral information for substance use disorder treatment. The doses in the NaloxBoxes are free for the public to take. Naloxone generally works within about 5 minutes. There is no maximum dose for Naloxone, so it can be given every 2 to 3 minutes until the person wakes up and breathes normally. Repeated doses may be necessary if a person is still showing signs of overdose, so it is still important to call 911.
The goal of distributing Naloxone and educating people about how to prevent, recognize and intervene in overdoses is to prevent deaths. Indiana’s Aaron’s Law – named after Aaron Sims, who lost his life to heroin in 2013 – allows layperson access to Naloxone without a prescription, thus eliminating barriers to receiving the drug and using it to save lives. Effective 2015 and amended in 2016, Aaron’s Law means an individual, a family member, or friend can visit any Indiana pharmacy and request Naloxone without prescription through a statewide standing order issued by the Indiana State Department of Health.
“IHC embraces harm reduction aligned with Indiana Governor Holcomb’s initiative to have broader access to Naloxone in each county. We are proud to provide access to this life saving medication at seventeen (17) of our locations located throughout Indiana.” Ann Lundy, CEO Indiana Health Centers
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 NaloxBox units across the state, including at least one in every county. Once supplies are stocked and the boxes are installed and functional, the IHC locations offering these NaloxBoxes will be listed on Overdose Lifeline’s Indiana Naloxone boxes and distribution center map. The boxes will be checked by IHC staff frequently, and stocked whenever needed.
