LOCAL

Indiana nonprofit will offer free naloxone, training in Muncie

Audrey J. Kirby
The Star Press

MUNCIE, Ind. — The Indiana Recovery Alliance (IRA) will provide free naloxone training and distribution in Muncie this week, offering community members an opportunity for education on the opioid overdose reversal medication.

The training, which will run 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Bridges Community Services, will teach attendees about harm reduction, opioid overdose and naloxone administration. It will also certify attendees as IRA volunteers with ability to distribute naloxone in their communities. The IRA will supply volunteers with naloxone as needed, offering unlimited intramuscular naloxone, as well as limited auto-injector and nasal versions.

The event's Facebook page encourages teachers, librarians, social workers, persons who use opioids, neighbors, family members and more to attend the training. 

Indiana Recovery Alliance works to distribute naloxone primarily to those who use drugs, as well as their friends and families. This distribution model is critical, according to a release, as people who use drugs are on the scene of an overdose before first responders.

► BSU HEALTH PROFESSOR:  Networks providing work to recovering addicts might solve opioid epidemic

Narcan, aka naloxone, is a prescription antidote to opiate overdose.

The nonprofit has offices in Indianapolis, Evansville and Bloomington and distributes naloxone statewide. Funding for the naloxone is provided through private foundations and donations, and the IRA receives no funding from tax dollars or government agencies for naloxone distribution, according to the release. 

Since 2015, the Indiana Recovery Alliance has distributed over 35,000 doses of naloxone, with more than 2,500 reversals reported. Most of this distribution was in and around Monroe County, which saw a 10 percent decrease in opioid fatalities in 2017 as Hoosier counties of comparable size saw increases in fatalities, according to the release.

Bridges Community Services is at 318 West 8th St. in Muncie. For more information on Muncie's training visit the event's Facebook page or indianarecoveryalliance.org.