Pennsylvania offers free naloxone on Dec. 13 to help stop opioid overdoses
From a press release:
Governor Tom Wolf’s administration will provide naloxone for free to any Pennsylvanian who wants it at nearly 80 locations across the state, primarily at state health centers and county/municipal health departments, on Thursday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. as part of Pennsylvania’s ongoing effort to reduce the number of opioid overdoses and get residents into treatment.
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain.
“The life-saving medication naloxone is essential for all of us to have on hand, particularly if you have a loved one suffering from opioid-use disorder,” Wolf said. “We want to ensure that through this opportunity for free naloxone, we can save more lives and get more Pennsylvanians into treatment. Keeping naloxone in your home, work, or even in your car can make the difference between someone getting into treatment or dying from this disease.”
Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued a standing order prescription to any Pennsylvanian to get naloxone at a pharmacy for anyone who may need it.
“Naloxone has one function: to reverse the effects of opioids on the brain and respiratory system and save someone’s life,” Levine said. “It is impossible to get someone in to treatment who is dead. Every Pennsylvanian has a role to play as a potential first responder and can save a life by having naloxone on hand and using it if they come across someone who has overdosed.”
Since November of 2014, more than 20,000 people have been revived with naloxone by police officers and EMS providers in Pennsylvania. It is well-documented that Pennsylvania was one of the hardest states hit in the country’s ongoing opioid epidemic.
“One of the biggest misconceptions of individuals battling substance use disorder is that they want to die, when the vast majority of overdose deaths are accidental,” said Drug and Alcohol Secretary Jen Smith. “We do not stand a chance in overcoming this epidemic if we are unable to help individuals into treatment. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to help their loved ones in their time of need.”
This giveaway is part of Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now Week, a statewide initiative running Monday, Dec. 10 through Friday, Dec. 14 to get help for residents suffering from the disease of opioid-use disorder. Multiple state agencies are hosting events and releasing information important to helping stop overdoses in Pennsylvania during this week.
In addition to being able to get naloxone for free on Dec. 13, it is available at most pharmacies across the state year-round. Naloxone is available to many with public and private insurance at pharmacies for free or at a low cost.
“Treatment works and recovery is possible,” Smith said. “If you, or someone in your life, are suffering from the disease of opioid-use disorder, there is help. Whether you have insurance, are uninsured, or underinsured, individuals can call the Pennsylvania Get Help Now Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to enter treatment or talk to someone about available resources in their community.”
Since Wolf first signed a heroin and opioid disaster declaration in January, 16 state agencies have continuously worked to fight the opioid epidemic and have made progress to help individuals and families dealing with this crisis. Some accomplishments include waiving birth certificate fees for individuals seeking treatment, using federal Medicaid funding in treatment facilities to provide more than 12,000 individuals access to medically necessary treatment, and providing career services to people who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic and plan to return to work.
Additional information on Stop Overdoses Week and naloxone can be found on the state’s website at pa.gov/opioids.
Naloxone kits will be distributed for free between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted, on Dec. 13 at the locations listed below. No appointments are necessary.
Free naloxone available at these locations on Dec. 13:
Adams County
Adams County State Health Center – 424 E. Middle St., Suite 1, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Allegheny County
Allegheny County Health Department Immunization Clinic, Hartley Rose Building – 425 First Ave., 4th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 from 11 am to 4 pm
Duquesne University Pharmacy – 1860 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Focus on Renewal Community Resource Center – 420 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136
Millvale Community Center – 501 Lincoln Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15209
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church – 4048 Brownsville Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15227
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church – 220 8th St., McKeesport, PA 15132
Turtle Creek Fire Department – 125 Monroeville Ave., Turtle Creek, PA 15145
Armstrong County
Armstrong County State Health Center – 245 Butler Rd., Suite 1, Kittanning, PA 16201
Beaver County
Beaver County State Health Center – 500 Market Street, Suite 104, Bridgewater, PA 15009
Bedford County
Bedford County State Health Center – 130 Vindersmith Ave., Suite A, Bedford, PA 15522
Berks County
Berks County State Health Center – 625 Cherry St., Room 401, Reading, PA 19602
Blair County
Blair County State Health Center – 615 Howard Ave., Suite 101, Altoona, PA 16601
Bradford County
Bradford/Sullivan County State Health Center – 142 Colonial Dr., Towanda, PA 18848
Bucks County
Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission – 600 Louis Dr., Suite 102A, Warminster, PA 18974
Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center – 1286 Veterans Hwy., Suite 6D, Bristol, PA 19007
Quakertown Branch of the Bucks County Free Library – 401 W. Mill St., Quakertown, PA 18951
Butler County
Butler County State Health Center – 100 Brugh Ave., Suite 201, Butler, PA 16001
Cambria County
Cambria County State Health Center – 184 Donald Ln., Suite 1, Johnstown, PA 15904
Cameron County
Cameron County Recreation Center – 300 S. Chestnut St., Emporium, PA 15834
Carbon County
Carbon County State Health Center – 281 N. 12th St., Suite A, Lehighton, PA 18235
Centre County
Centre Life Link EMS – 125 Puddintown Rd., State College, PA 16801
Chester County
Chester County Department of Health – 601 Westtown Rd., Suite 290, West Chester, PA 19382
Clarion County
Clarion County State Health Center – Applewood Center, 162 S. 2nd St. Suite D, Clarion, PA 16214
Clearfield County
Clearfield County State Health Center – 1125 Linden St., Suite 1, Clearfield, PA 16830
Clinton County
Clinton County State Health Center – 215 E. Church St., Lock Haven, PA 17745
Columbia County
Columbia County State Health Center – 327 Columbia Blvd., Suite 2, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Crawford County
Crawford County State Health Center – 847 N. Main St., Suite 101, Meadville, PA 16335
Cumberland County
Cumberland County State Health Center – 431 E. North St., Carlisle, PA 17013
Dauphin County
Dauphin County State Health Center – 30 Kline Plaza, Harrisburg, PA 17104
Delaware County
Delaware County State Health Center – 151 W. Fifth St., Suite 1, Chester, PA 19013
Elk County
Elk/Cameron County State Health Center – 778 Washington Rd., St. Marys, PA 15857
Erie County
Blasco Library, 160 E. Front St., Erie, PA 16507
Fayette County
Fayette County State Health Center – 100 New Salem Rd., Suite 102, Uniontown, PA 15401
Forest County
Forest County State Health Center – 305 S. Elm St., Tionesta, PA 16353
Franklin County
Franklin County State Health Center – 375 Floral Ave., Suite 1, Chambersburg, PA 17201
Fulton County
Fulton County State Health Center – 182 Buchanan Trail, Suite C, McConnellsburg, PA 17233
Greene County
Greene County State Health Center – 101 Greene Plaza, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County State Health Center – 6311 Margy Dr., Suite 1, Huntingdon, PA 16652
Indiana County
Indiana County State Health Center – 75 N. 2nd St., Indiana, PA 15701
Jefferson County
Jefferson County State Health Center – 200 Prushnok Dr., Suite 202A, Punxsutawney, PA 15767
Juniata County
Juniata County State Health Center – 809 Market St., Port Royal, PA 17082
Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County State Health Center – Scranton State Office Building, 100 Lackawanna Avenue, Room 110, Scranton, PA 18503
Lancaster County
Lancaster County State Health Center – 1661 Old Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster, PA 17602
Lawrence County
Lawrence County State Health Center – 106 Margaret St., New Castle, PA 16101
Lebanon County
Lebanon County State Health Center – 9 N. 9th St., Lebanon, PA 17046
Lehigh County
Lehigh County State Health Center – 3730 Lehigh St., Suite 206, Whitehall, PA 18052
Allentown City Bureau of Health – Alliance Hall, 245 North 6th St., Allentown, PA 18102 from 11 am to 5 pm
Luzerne County
Luzerne County State Health Center – 665 Carey Ave., Suite 2, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18706
Wilkes-Barre City Health Department – 71 N. Franklin St., Kirby Health Center, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
Lycoming County
Lycoming County State Health Center – 1000 Commerce Park Dr., Suite 109, Williamsport, PA 17701
McKean County
McKean County State Health Center – 84-90 Boylston St., Bradford, PA 16701
Mercer County
Mercer County State Health Center – 25 McQuiston Dr., Jackson Center, PA 16133
Mifflin County
Mifflin County State Health Center – 21 S. Brown St., Suite 2A, Lewistown, PA 17044
Monroe County
Monroe County State Health Center – 1972 W. Main St., Suite 102, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Office of Public Health – Norristown Center, 1430 DeKalb St., Norristown, PA 19404 from 8 am to 4 pm
Montgomery County Office of Public Health – Pottstown Center, 346 King St., Pottstown, PA 19464 from 8 am to 4 pm
Montgomery County Office of Public Health – Willow Grove Center, 102 York Rd., Suite 401, Willow Grove, PA 19090 from 8 am to 4 pm
Montour County
Montour County State Health Center – 329 Church St., Danville, PA 17821
Northampton County
Northampton County State Health Center – 1600 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042
Bethlehem City Bureau of Health – 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 19404
Northumberland County
Northumberland County State Health Center – 247 Pennsylvania Ave., Sunbury, PA 17801
Perry County
Perry County State Health Center – 153 Red Hill Road, Newport, PA 17074
Philadelphia County
Holmesburg Library – 7801 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19136 from 11 am to 5:30 pm
Lucien E. Blackwell West Library – 125 S. 52nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19139 from 11 am to 5:30 pm
McPherson Square Library – 601 E. Indiana Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19134 from 11 am to 5:30 pm
South Philly Library – 1700 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19139 from 11 am to 5:30 pm
Pike County
Pike County State Health Center – 10 Buist Rd., Suite 401, Milford, PA 18337
Potter County
Potter County State Health Center – 295 U.S. Route 6 West, Suite 1, Coudersport, PA 16915
Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County State Health Center – One Norwegian Plaza, Suite 103, Pottsville, PA 17901
Snyder County
Selinsgrove Center – 1000 Route 522, Selinsgrove, PA 17870
Somerset County
Somerset County State Health Center – 651 S. Center Ave., Somerset, PA 15501
Sullivan County
Dushore Fire Department – 212 Julia St., Dushore, PA 18614
Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County State Health Center – 157 Spruce St., Montrose, PA 18801
Tioga County
Tioga County State Health Center – 44 Plaza Ln., Wellsboro, PA 16901
Union County
Union County State Health Center – 1610 Industrial Blvd., Suite 100, Lewisburg, PA 17837
Venango County
Venango County State Health Center – 3298 State Route 257, Seneca, PA 16346
Warren County
Warren County State Health Center – 2027 Pennsylvania Ave. East, Warren, PA 16365
Washington County
Washington County State Health Center – 167 N. Main St., Suite 100, Washington, PA 15301
Wayne County
Wayne County State Health Center – 615 Erie Heights, Honesdale, PA 18431
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County State Health Center – 233 W. Otterman St., Greensburg, PA 15601
Monessen State Health Center – 1 Wendell Ramey Ln., Suite 140, Monessen, PA 15062
Wyoming County
Wyoming County State Health Center – 5632 State Route 6, Tunkhannock, PA 18657
York County
York County State Health Center – 1750 N. George St., York, PA 17404
York City Bureau of Health – 435 W. Philadelphia St., York, PA 17401
