Salt Lake City Nonprofit Expands Naloxone Distribution

Salt Lake City Nonprofit Expands Naloxone Distribution

A Salt Lake City nonprofit is making naloxone available for free through three self-service boxes.

Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project says it distributed approximately 3,500 naloxone kits through its programs this year. They’ve also worked to reduce stigma and connect people with treatment and other resources.

How To Access Free Naloxone in Salt Lake City

The organization calls the boxes Naloxey Boxeys. They function in the same way as free libraries with people allowed to pick up naloxone without waiting for staff hours.

Executive director MacKenzie Bray told KSL that because overdoses don’t only happen during business hours, she wanted a location people could use when the organization was closed or on weekends.

The boxes are outside Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project in Sugar House, outside Under the Umbrella Bookstore in downtown Salt Lake City, and at Indie Square in Murray. The nonprofit plans to install more boxes in additional locations.

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. The KSL story does not say how many kits each box holds or how often they are restocked, so people making an urgent trip may want to check the nonprofit’s current information first.

Why the Work Is Personal

Bray lost her brother to a heroin overdose in 2016. She now leads an organization focused on helping other people avoid that same loss.

KSL reports that stigma can keep people from asking for support. Bray expressed that some people want or need help but do not know how to go about getting it or feel embarrassed to ask for it.

The organization’s response includes creating a welcoming setting where people can ask questions and have ordinary conversations with staff or other clients.

More Than Overdose Supplies

Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project also provides several other services to help the community. These services include a syringe exchange and connections to treatment and other resources.

Community Care Coordinator Lux Saint Cloud said that clients often help one another by answering questions. They share resources that worked for their recovery.

Finding Free and Low-Cost Support

Anyone seeking free naloxone in Salt Lake City or low-cost rehabs in Utah can also ask local organizations about harm reduction, testing, food, clothing and referral services.

These resources may be available separately from residential treatment. Each provider can explain its own eligibility and payment rules.

When contacting rehab centers near you, ask whether the program accepts your insurance. You can also inquire about whether the program offers sliding-scale fees or can refer you to free community support.

Rehabs.org lists free and low-cost treatment options nationwide. Call 800-914-7089 (Info iconSponsored) to find affordable care.

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