HENDRICKS COUNTY – Hendricks County residents can now obtain a free naloxone rescue kit and opioid overdose reversal training from the Hendricks County Health Department while supplies last.
The Health Department was awarded fifty nasal naloxone rescue kits from the Indiana State Department of Health to help prevent opioid overdose deaths in the county.
“Opioid overdose is a growing problem in Hendricks County,” states Jenna Meadows, Public Health Education Specialist with the Health Department and coordinator of the Hendricks County Health Partnership. “Our goal is to save lives and give residents the tools they need to get treatment and support.”
Residents who are at risk of having an opioid overdose or those who can assist individuals who are at risk of having an opioid overdose, such as a family member or friend, are eligible for a free dose of naloxone after receiving training. Training can be scheduled with Meadows by calling (317) 745-9618.
“The training will last about 25 minutes and teaches participants how to use the naloxone rescue kit, how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose, and where to go for substance abuse treatment and support,” continues Meadows. “Residents must participate in training to receive a naloxone rescue kit.”
Over the next year, the Health Department and Hendricks County Health Partnership will be hosting group training sessions in Plainfield. Information about these sessions will be available as they are scheduled on the Health Department’s website at www.co.hendricks.in.us/health and the Partnership’s website at www.hendrickshealthpartnership.org.
Meadows states that she will also be available to provide training and education to hotels, motels, and other local businesses interested in learning more about preventing opioid overdoses among their visitors and employees. Anyone interested in training and education for their business should contact Meadows directly at jmeadows@co.hendricks.in.us or (317) 745-9618.
Naloxone rescue kits are also available at other distributors across Hendricks County and Indiana. For more information about available distributors, visit the Indiana State Department of Health’s naloxone information website at optin.in.gov.
For more information about opioid overdose and naloxone, contact the Hendricks County Health Department’s Public Health Education Program at (317) 745-9217 or visit their website at www.co.hendricks.in.us/health.
