State departments of health across the region have taken some action and issued advisories as the synthetic drug-involved overdose death toll has risen in recent years.

Rural residents have been disproportionately affected by opioid addiction. The federal government just awarded two rural programs over $1.7 million to reduce overdose risks in rural Indiana.

As the first installments of the opioid settlement money made their way to state and local governments in Indiana, conversations about what the money will be spent on and who has the ultimate say are top of mind.

If approved by the full Council, the program would be funded through the city’s share of the national opioid settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors. Indiana is slated to receive $507 million, which will be distributed across the state.

A standing order in effect statewide since 2015 allows any adult in Indiana to purchase naloxone without a prescription from registered pharmacies. Both health care professionals and recovery advocates say the FDA’s decision could make Narcan more widely accessible.

The film – The Addict’s Wake – focuses on how the opioid epidemic impacts people with substance use disorder and their families and communities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its provisional report on overdose deaths in 2021 across the United States. In Indiana, the number hit a record high for a second year in a row.

A 2017 Indiana law allows school districts to stock the opioid reversal medication naloxone. Overdose Lifeline is a non-profit substance use advocacy group that wants to help equip schools to prevent overdoses.

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.

People in Kansas risk jail time if they call 911 to report an overdose. And not all law enforcement agencies use the lifesaving drug naloxone.