April 20, 2022

Wabash Bowen Center offers free Naloxone kits in new 'NaloxBox'

Listen at 89.1 WBOI

Article origination 89.1 WBOI
The Naloxone box is kept stocked with single-use kits outside of the Community Center entrance at the Bowen Center Wabash office. - Provided by the Bowen Center

The Naloxone box is kept stocked with single-use kits outside of the Community Center entrance at the Bowen Center Wabash office.

Provided by the Bowen Center
Ella Abbott

Bowen Center’s Wabash office is offering free, confidential access to Naloxone kits to help rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Access to Naloxone, which is often referred to as Narcan, is a priority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to Bowen Center.

The Wabash office is partnering with Overdose Lifeline and a local nurse to ensure a box is stocked with single dose kits for any community members to come in and grab.

Rural communities like Wabash tend to dispense Naloxone at a much lower rate than metropolitan areas. Wayne Peterson-Stephan, Director of Addiction Recovery Services at Bowen Center, said it’s important family members and friends of those struggling with addiction have the kits on hand.

“When we think about who is a first responder to an opioid overdose, it’s going to often be a relative, a friend or just another community member,” Peterson-Stephan said.

Naloxone is safe if used on someone who isn’t experiencing an overdose, but can reverse the effects of opioids almost immediately.

The “NaloxBox” is a self-dispensing box outside of the community room entrance to the Wabash center. It can be accessed any time of day or night and includes simple instructions for use.

Copyright 2022 89.1 WBOI. To see more, visit 89.1 WBOI.

 

Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.

 

Related News

FSSA implements new rate minimums for certain Medicaid caregivers prompted by legislation
Indianapolis police cite ‘excited delirium’ after in-custody deaths. It’s a debunked diagnosis
Medicare Advantage plans potential growth under Trump raise concerns for rural health leaders