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Free naloxone reached eight West Virginia counties at once this week, and the offer does not expire when the event ends.
Westbrook Health Services hosted distribution stations across its eight-county region on Save a Life Day. The organization handed out free naloxone kits, hygiene items and directories connecting people to addiction recovery programs.
Free resources like this lower the barrier to staying connected to care for people who can’t afford it.
Who Qualifies for Free or Low-Cost Treatment?
Everyone qualifies in this case. Observed annually on the fourth Thursday of September, Save a Life Day conducts a nationwide effort to distribute naloxone and provide overdose prevention education where needed
Westbrook Health Services joined with outreach stations spanning its coverage area, from Tyler County in the north to Roane and Jackson counties in the south.
There were no income requirements, no insurance checks and no appointments. Staff simply handed people free naloxone kits and showed them how to use the nasal spray, commonly known by the brand name Narcan.
How Save a Life Day Worked in Westbrook’s Region
At The Gathering church at 14th and Latrobe streets in Parkersburg, staff members Zae Hicks and Brenda Barker spent the day demonstrating how to safely administer nasal naloxone and answering questions from visitors.
Seth Kerby, who is the mobile crisis program director for Westbrook Health Services, compared carrying naloxone to owning standard safety equipment.
“Hopefully we never have to use those things, but if your kitchen’s on fire and you don’t have a fire extinguisher, you’ll wish you had one. So naloxone is kind of the same way.”
Kerby emphasized that opioid overdoses move fast. Every second matters while waiting for emergency responders. Typical signs of an overdose include slowed or erratic breathing, pale or bluish skin and lips, pinpoint pupils, gurgling noises, and loss of consciousness.
Naloxone causes no harm if the person is not suffering an opioid overdose. Organizers urge people to call 911 and administer it when in doubt.
How to Access These Resources
Missed the event? The kits are still free. Westbrook Health Services provides free naloxone and peer-led training year-round at offices throughout its eight-county region.
Wood County residents can visit the main office at 2121 7th St. in Parkersburg and ask to meet with a peer recovery support specialist.
The agency also runs a 24/7 mobile crisis line at 304-485-1725, offering crisis call and text support plus mobile dispatch teams for mental health and substance use emergencies. General services can be reached at 304-485-1721.
Cost should never be the reason someone doesn’t get help. Alongside free naloxone West Virginia residents can check whether they qualify for Medicaid coverage or look into state-funded rehab centers.
Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options nationwide. Call
800-914-7089
(
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to find affordable care.
