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Free naloxone in Arkansas got a good deal more available on Monday. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the state attorney general’s office distributed 1,000 free Narcan kits at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock, marking International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31.
Nobody paid anything. No insurance card, no prescription, no proof of income. That is the part worth noting for those who’ve been priced out of addiction care.
Naloxone at a pharmacy counter runs in the range of 45 to 50 dollars for a two-dose box. Getting it free removes the most common reason people who need it do not carry it.
Who Qualifies for Free or Low-Cost Treatment
For naloxone specifically the answer in Arkansas is everyone. Naloxone has been available over the counter nationwide since 2023 and Arkansas law requires public colleges and universities to keep labeled opioid overdose kits on campus. Free distribution events like Monday’s are open to the general public.
The reason this matters is because the person most likely to reverse an overdose is not a paramedic. It’s whoever is standing there.
For treatment itself, Arkansas Medicaid covers substance use disorder services including outpatient counseling, medication for opioid use disorder and residential care under specified conditions.
Arkansas expanded Medicaid insurance, so eligibility reaches adults up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. If you were denied coverage years ago under the old rules it is worth reapplying.
How to Access These Resources
The UAMS Center for Addiction Services and Treatment, which ran Monday’s distribution, is a good starting point in central Arkansas.
The center provides outpatient addiction services. It has also previously administered funds that cover treatment costs for patients without insurance or the ability to pay. The funds cover medication, counseling, peer support specialists and travel costs for people receiving medication-assisted treatment.
That last item is very easy to skim past. Transportation is one of the quietest reasons rural Arkansas patients stop showing up and a program that pays for the drive is doing something most do not.
Outside of Little Rock, the Arkansas Department of Human Services is maintaining a network of licensed providers in the state. 211 Arkansas line can connect you and others in need to local resources at no charge.
Where the Money Comes From
Arkansas is receiving opioid settlement money from litigation against manufacturers and distributors. The attorney general’s office administers roughly a third of the state’s share. Local governments control the rest through the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership.
This is why free naloxone keeps appearing at events like Monday’s. It is settlement money being spent on the cheapest intervention available.
It is a good argument for calling your county to ask what else has been funded locally. Several Arkansas counties have used their allocations for treatment access, recovery support and prevention programming that don’t get announced.
Payment Options Explained
Free and Low-Cost Rehabs in Arkansas
A few specific moves for readers in the state. Check whether you qualify for Arkansas Medicaid, since expansion changed the math for many working adults.
If you are near Little Rock and uninsured, call the UAMS Center for Addiction Services and Treatment. Ask any provider about sliding-scale fees and state-funded treatment options.
Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options across Arkansas and nationwide. The listing is filtered by payment type so you can see which programs accept Medicaid or offer sliding scale rates before you call. For additional help call
800-914-7089
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to speak with a treatment specialist.
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