Drug Overdose Prevention Program

Southeastern Idaho Public Health’s Drug Overdose Prevention Program works to reduce overdose deaths by providing education, resources, and tools that help individuals and communities prevent and respond to overdoses.

What does this program do?

• Provides overdose response training and distributes naloxone (Narcan) to enhance overdose response capacity
• Leads and facilitates the Southeastern Idaho Public Health and Safety Team (PHAST) to implement community strategies that reduce overdose fatalities
• Delivers education on stigma reduction, alternative pain management methods, safe medication practices, Idaho Good Samaritan Law, overdose recognition and response, and available community resources
• Collaborates with individuals who use drugs and partners with organizations that serve them to connect people with resources and treatment services

How does this program benefit individuals and communities?

• Provides knowledge and tools to prevent and respond to drug overdoses, helping save lives
• Strengthens the community’s ability to respond to overdose threats through education, naloxone distribution, and evidence-based prevention strategies
• Improves access to care by helping remove barriers that limit access to treatment and essential resources
• Educates the community about why people use drugs and helps people understand that addiction is a disease, reducing stigma

What is most important for people to understand?

Drug overdoses are often preventable. By using simple prevention strategies—such as safely storing and disposing of prescription medications, having access to naloxone, and knowing how to respond to an overdose—people can significantly reduce the risk of overdose fatalities.

The Drug Overdose Prevention Program supports these efforts by educating the community and providing important overdose prevention supplies, including naloxone, medication lock boxes, and fentanyl testing strips.

What would happen without this program?

Without the Drug Overdose Prevention Program, there would likely be an increase in both fatal and nonfatal overdoses. Fewer individuals would have access to the resources and recovery services they need.

Because the program distributes a large amount of overdose prevention supplies, a reduction in these materials could place greater strain on hospitals and emergency services, while also limiting the community’s ability to respond effectively to overdose situations.