Many organizations and businesses in WA State are now prepared to respond to opioid overdose. Many also distribute naloxone and train their community on overdose response. This page will help you find resources for naloxone and overdose response training.
How to buy naloxone
Organizations can purchase naloxone directly from many pharmacies. NARCAN Nasal Spray is now available over-the-counter, and easy to purchase. Organizations can also use the WA Statewide Standing Order as a prescription to buy naloxone.
Organizations that provide free naloxone and overdose response training
Behavioral health agencies and emergency departments are subject to SSB 5195, and may not be able to obtain naloxone for free from WA State or community agencies. Learn more about SSB 5195 here.
WA Department of Health Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Program
The WA State Department of Health operates the Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) Program. The program offers free naloxone, overdose response training, and technical assistance to organizations interested in distributing naloxone to people most likely to experience or respond to an overdose: people who use drugs and their friends and family.
Apply to become a naloxone distribution program here or email the Dept of Health, naloxoneprogram@doh.wa.gov
The OEND program also provides free naloxone to tribes, tribal organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations, with the goal of increasing naloxone access for American Indian and Alaska Native communities in WA State. Qualifying organizations can register for this program here.
The OEND program offers limited numbers of naloxone kits to certain agencies for their staff to carry and administer while at work. Qualifying agencies include syringe service programs, housing organizations, community behavioral health agencies, street outreach programs and substance use treatment programs. Email naloxoneprogram@doh.wa.gov with any questions.
Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC)
Residents, organizations, agencies, and groups in King County looking for overdose prevention training or other support for a community event are encouraged to visit Public Health-Seattle & King County’s education resources here. All are welcome to submit a request for training using this link, with priority offered to communities impacted most by overdose deaths and the organizations serving these communities directly.
Request training, naloxone, or other harm reduction supplies from PHSKC
Visit the then scroll down the page to see the list of upcoming trainings.
Snohomish County
Snohomish County-free naloxone for programs to have on-site, request form.
Syringe Services Programs
Many WA State Syringe Services Programs partner with and provide overdose education and naloxone to their communities. Contact a program near you to learn more about what they do and how you can partner. Find the list of WA State Syringe Services Programs here.
Other local resources
Most counties and many tribal health offices provide naloxone and overdose education to their communities.
Find your Local Health Jurisdiction here.
Find a list of Tribal and Urban Indian Health organizations here.
Check out our Resources page and our Overdose Response page to learn more.
Overdose can be a sensitive topic for both clients and counselors. Clients may not feel the topic is relevant to them. Providers may feel uncertain how to discuss the realities of overdose risk. The key to reducing any discomfort is to:
- integrate overdose prevention into multiple areas of the treatment program.
- normalize overdose education for all treatment clients.
To help normalize conversations about overdose:
- Make overdose a visible topic. Lobby posters, educational brochures, and handouts show that staff care about overdose and want to talk about it.
- Make it a standard practice to discuss overdose with all clients or patients, so no one feels singled out for being more “at-risk” than others.
- Emphasize concern for the client’s safety and survival. No slip up or relapse should be fatal.
- Reinforce the client’s ability to help others and the community. You can help spread this information to others or you might even be in a position to safe a life.
- See overdose education as an opportunity to have deeper conversations about behavior change.
- Medications for opioid use disorder, in particular buprenorphine and methadone, are a form of long-term overdose prevention. Learn more about these medications at LearnAboutTreatment.org.
- Prescribe to Prevent, resources for medical providers, emergency departments, and SUD providers on naloxone prescribing and dispensing.
- Resources for Pharmacists from the WA Dept of Health
- WA Medicaid covers all forms of naloxone, including OTC, with no co-pay. Learn more about OTC naloxone here.
- Respond to Prevent: This program provides training, resources, and tools to improve the quality and success rate of naloxone offers by community pharmacies. Through provided scripting, communication guidelines, and patient education, pharmacists and technicians can enhance patients’ receptivity and decrease stigma associated with harm reduction practices.
- Distributing opioid overdose reversal medication in EDs and behavioral health settings – effective January 1, 2022-Bulletin from the WA State Hospital Association
- Senate Bill 5195 Emergency Department Implementation Toolkit from the WA State Health Care Authority
- Prevention Conversations: Plan C: Keeping People Alive from SAMHSA
- Integrating Opioid Overdose Prevention Strategies into Treatment, MA Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
- Incorporating overdose prevention, response, and experience into substance use disorder treatment Heartland Health Outreach
- SB 5195-2021 WA Naloxone Law
- Naloxone and EMS from the WA Dept of Health
- Naloxone Leave Behind Video from Tacoma Fire
Resources for law enforcement are available here.
Resources for jails and prisons are available here.