Pick up free naloxone at these events with The Star and KC area health organizations
As The Star continues to report on the toll fentanyl and other opioids are taking on our community through our Deadly Dose series, we are teaming up with public health organizations across the metro to share information and resources — including free naloxone — to help prevent opioid-related overdose deaths.
Our partners — the Independence Health Department, DCCCA, North Kansas City Hospital, Johnson County Mental Health Center and First Call KC — are working day in and day out to keep people who use drugs safe and to curb the fentanyl crisis in our area.
Throughout November, journalists from The Star will be popping up at events around Kansas City alongside these organizations to help distribute free boxes of naloxone, the life-saving, over-the-counter medicine often referred to by its brand name Narcan that can reverse opioid-related overdoses.
The Star will also be giving out pocket-sized guides that include verified information about illicit fentanyl, how to reverse an overdose with naloxone and how to use fentanyl test strips. The guides include a list of local places that provide free naloxone and hotlines and resources for anyone seeking mental health or substance use disorder recovery support.
If you or someone you know uses opioids, is at risk of using drugs that may be laced with fentanyl or if you just want to learn more, we’d love to see you at one of these events.
“It’s important that as many people (naloxone) as possible, because you don’t know who may be affected (by the opioid crisis),” said Terrell Sage, a public health specialist for the Independence Health Department.
“The more people who have the tools to help, the more prepared we will be as a community to make sure that no one is dying from an opioid-related overdose, especially from fentanyl.”
Find The Star and our public health partners at the following spots over the next few weeks:
Thursday, Nov. 2, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Walmart, 4000 S. Bolger Road in Independence, partnered with the Independence Health Department
Thursday, Nov. 2, 3-4:30 p.m. at Walmart Neighborhood Market, 3411 S. Noland Road in Independence, partnered with the Independence Health Department
Saturday, Nov. 4, 12-6 p.m. at Día de Muertos On Central Avenue, 1120 Central Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas, partnered with DCCCA and Misión Despegue
Thursday, Nov. 9, 4-6 p.m. at St. Gabriel Archangel Parish, 4737 N. Cleveland Ave. in Kansas City, partnered with North Kansas City Hospital
Saturday, Nov. 11, 8 a.m.-noon at Overland Park Farmers Market, 7950 Marty St. in Overland Park, partnered with DCCCA and Johnson County Mental Health Center
Monday, Nov. 20, 3-6 p.m. at Leah’s Laundromat on the Q, 1920 Quindaro Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas, partnered with DCCCA and COPE
Where else can I get naloxone in Kansas City?
If you can’t make it to an event, don’t worry.
Naloxone is available at pharmacies, clinics, health departments and an array of nonprofits around the metro.
A prescription is no longer needed to buy naloxone, but a two-pack of naloxone nasal spray costs around $45 at Kansas City pharmacies.
Kansans can request free naloxone by visiting bit.ly/kansasnaloxone, and Missourians can request free naloxone by visiting bit.ly/missourinaloxone.
Individuals across the KC metro can also get free naloxone from the following locations during open hours. Unless otherwise noted, some may ask you to provide your ZIP code, but you don’t need to provide any other personal information to get naloxone.
Self-service naloxone distribution boxes:
Kansas City Health Department: 2400 Troost Ave., Kansas City — Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cass County Health Department: 1411 S. Commercial St., Harrisonville — Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Find additional Cass County box locations at casscounty.com/2501/opioid-response
Clay County Health Department: 800 Haines Drive, Liberty — Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Available at the front desk:
Independence Health Department: 111 E. Maple Ave., Independence — Monday to Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Jackson County Public Health: 3651 NE Ralph Powell Road, Lee’s Summit — Monday to Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., must be 18 or over, need to provide ZIP code and age
Platte County Health Department: 7925 NW 110th St., Kansas City, Missouri — Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Wyandotte County Public Health Department: 619 Ann Ave., Kansas City, Kansas — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m.-noon and 3-6 p.m.
First Call KC: Monday to Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For delivery, call ahead to schedule. Can also deliver discreetly, call or text 816-384-1729
Good Samaritan Center: 108 S. Thompson Avenue, Excelsior Springs — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
KC Care: 3515 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City — Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday to Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
North Kansas City Hospital Emergency Department: 2800 Clay Edwards Drive, North Kansas City — available 24/7 by walking in triage
You can find a more comprehensive map of Missouri organizations that provide naloxone at nomodeaths.org/where-to-get-naloxone.
DCCCA is working to bring naloxone vending machines to Wyandotte and Johnson counties in the coming months. More information will be available at dccca.org/naloxone-program.
Local opportunities to learn more
North Kansas City Hospital is offering two classes in the coming months to educate the public about the opioid crisis and how to administer naloxone, on Nov. 16 and Dec. 20 from 6-7 p.m.
The Cass County Health Department is offering an opioid awareness and naloxone training class on Nov. 8 at the Harrisonville branch of the Cass County Public Library at 6 p.m.
