Indianapolis EMS begins “leave-behind” program to reduce drug overdose deaths

Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services will now leave behind medication to reverse drug overdoses at the house of someone who has overdosed. That could mean leaving the medication with the person who overdosed or with a bystander, friend, or family member.

According to Marion County health officials, there are between 5,000 and 6,000 nonfatal drug overdoses across the city every year.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a majority of overdose deaths in the U.S. among young people take place at a person's private residence. And experts say that drug overdose survivors are at higher risk of experiencing a future overdose.

Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, can reverse an opioid overdose and save lives when administered in time.

“In general I think one of the best ways to prevent overdoses is to saturate the community where we know overdoses are occurring with Naloxone,” said Andrea Bochenek, Epidemiology Manager with the Marion County Health Department.

Indianapolis started its leave-behind program at the end of July, modeled after similar programs run in states like Maryland, Arizona, and Michigan. Several cities, including San Francisco and Louisville, also manage city-wide leave-behind programs.

Leave-behind programs like the one out of Indianapolis let first responders decide whether to leave a kit behind after an overdose has occurred. O’Donnell said the goal is to increase access to the medication wherever possible.

“If they're [EMS] going on an overdose run, that's a good opportunity to leave it at the home or the location with family or friends, whoever seems to be with them,” he said. “But also, if they're in a situation where they are on a run for a different reason, but they've been on an overdose run there before they can certainly leave it behind.”

Beyond EMS, naloxone can also be accessed at numerous vending machines and distribution centers across the city.

Opioid-related overdose deaths have been declining in Marion County over the past few years, from 604 in 2021 to 457 in 2023, according to the state health department’s dashboard.

In addition to Naloxone, the kits that will be left behind by EMS workers will include both educational materials and the number for an overdose lifeline.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.