Holcomb announces $1.3 million for naloxone distribution

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana will fund a $1.3 million distribution of the opioid reversal agent naloxone to ensure the medication reaches Hoosiers who are at risk of drug overdoses, state officials have announced.

Overdose Lifeline, Inc., an Indiana nonprofit that helps those affected by substance use disorder, will distribute 35,000 doses of naloxone to first responders, families, friends and others who are likely to be the first on the scene if someone overdoses.

Funds were made available by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration state opioid response grant.

This is the state's third investment in naloxone distribution since May 2020, when Holcomb announced the state would earmark $1 million for 25,000 doses of the medication amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

'œEach dose of naloxone represents another life that could be saved and another opportunity to engage individuals with substance use disorder in treatment,'ť Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement Thursday. 'œThe effects of COVID-19 continue to linger, and now more than ever we must make treatments like naloxone readily available to any Hoosier who may encounter an individual experiencing an overdose.'ť

Indiana reported a 33% increase in fatal overdoses in 2020, according to provisional data released in July by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Naloxone, a medication approved to prevent overdose by opioids, is given to individuals who showing signs of opioid overdose to block the toxic effects of the overdose.