FARMINGTON — In Franklin County, Healthy Community Coalition has been identified as the community distributor for naloxone. This means anyone in the community who feels they need access to naloxone can contact HCC to receive a free naloxone kit along with education on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose, according to a news release from Franklin Memorial Hospital.. Naloxone (such as Narcan) is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.
This medication blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing, according to the release.
The program is anonymous and community members will not be asked any identifying information.
Gov. Janet Mills has made combating the opioid crisis in Maine a top priority with a focus on preventing overdose deaths and creating more resources for treatment and recovery. One of the priority areas of the Maine Opioid Response Strategic Action plan is to make sure naloxone is readily available to anyone, according to the release.
Naloxone can be given by injection, but for community distribution it is available as a nasal spray. Naloxone has no potential for abuse. If it is given to a person who is not experiencing an opioid overdose side effects are rare, according to the release.
If naloxone is administered to a person who is experiencing an opioid overdose, it can produce withdrawal symptoms and medical follow-up care is strongly encouraged. It does not reverse overdoses that are caused by non-opioid drugs, according to the release.
If you or a loved one is at risk for overdose, contact Ashley McCarthy at 779-2463 or amccarthy1@fchn.org or Tracy Harty at 779-2830 or tharty@fchn.org to set up an appointment. Drop-in hours are offered from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays or from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays.
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