In WA, any organization can obtain naloxone for staff or to distribute to others who may have or witness an overdose.
Overdose prevention and naloxone distribution can be easily integrated into programs that work with people at risk for overdose such as housing agencies, health care services, substance use treatment programs, and other supportive service programs.
To start a naloxone program at your agency:
- Consult with staff, volunteers, board of directors, and clients on what needs and opportunities exist at your agency for overdose prevention and naloxone.
- Review the Naloxone for Community Agencies guide. It answers basic questions about laws, liability, naloxone safety, purchasing, and other logistics.
- Review the Washington Statewide Standing Order to Dispense Naloxone and the requirements for different types of programs and decide if you only want to have naloxone available for staff use, or if your agency also wants to distribute naloxone to clients or patients.
- Select and purchase which naloxone product(s) you will use, or contact the Washington State Department of Health to see if your program qualifies for free naloxone.
- Develop protocols for storing, using and/or distributing naloxone, and for training staff. (sample protocols here)
- Train staff on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose and how to administer naloxone. Consider how you will provide this training for new staff or as a refresher for staff later on. (Sample training materials here)
There are also specific options and resources for naloxone for law enforcement, first responders, and health care providers including emergency departments.
- Remedy Alliance, accessible and affordable naloxone for harm reduction programs.
- CEDEER, Naloxone for Community Agencies guide
- CEDEER Using Pharmacies to Access Naloxone: A guide for community-based agencies
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
- Harm Reduction Coalition Guide to Developing and Managing Overdose Prevention and Take Home Naloxone Projects
Naloxone vending machines are an innovative way to prevent overdose deaths. Learn more about how to start a program from this webinar featuring Thea Oliphant-Wells from Public Health-Seattle & King County and Joseph Hunter for the North Central Accountable Community of Health.
