County Executive Sam Page and the Department of Public Health announced this morning that naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, will be available free of charge to the public and community groups at the John C. Murphy Health Center in Berkeley during regular business hour.
Naloxone can reverse the process of opioid overdose and is a critical tool for intervention.
“Our entire region has been deeply affected by the opioid epidemic,” Page said. “St. Louis County continues to develop resources for our residents, health care providers, and public health partners – focusing on underserved communities – to combat this crisis.”
“The Berkeley health center was selected as a priority distribution site because our North County community has been particularly impacted by the opioid crisis,” said Spring Schmidt, co-director of St. Louis County Department of Public Health. “Naloxone is already available at our Justice Center and through community partners. Providing it at our health centers is a big step forward.”
Last month, St. Louis County’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program expanded the depth of support it offers providers. Through the PDMP, health care providers can track controlled substance prescriptions to ensure that patients are only receiving recommended doses.