Add Avera Missouri River Health Center in Gettysburg to the list of locations in central South Dakota where people can obtain an opioid overdose-reversing medication, no questions asked.
Capital Area Counseling Service (CACS) and Avera have partnered to make naloxone, also known as Narcan®, available for free.
Avera Missouri River Health Center Administrator Rena Robbennolt says naloxone is a nasal spray and easy to administer. She says if someone takes too many opioids– like pain pills or heroin– it reverses the opioid effects and helps the person wake up and start breathing properly. While it can be lifesaving for someone who is overdosing, naloxone will not hurt a recipient if they aren’t truly overdosing.
Robbennolt says this partnership reflects a shared commitment to prevention and community health. She says placing naloxone where people can easily access it helps reduce stigma and empowers community members to take action in an emergency.
Capital Area Counseling Service CEO Kristi Livermont says prevention should be visible, practical and easy to access. She says naloxone supports early intervention and helps create opportunities for education, support and follow-up care.
Naloxone is also available at most pharmacies (just ask).
The naloxone distribution program is a collaboration between Emily’s Hope, the South Dakota Department of Health, the Department of Social Services, the Attorney General’s Office, and local partners such as Avera and CACS. CACS operates the Central Prevention Resource Center, which works to increase public access to Naloxone in communities that may not need a full-size dispenser box.
Signs of an opioid overdose are:
- Very slow or no breathing
- Small, tiny eye pupils
- Weird snoring or gurgling
- Cold or blue skin
- Won’t wake up
- Limp body
If you see these signs, call 911 right away and administer naloxone.
You can find a pharmacy near you at letsbeclearsd.com/prevention/reverse-overdose or request online through Emily’s Hope, https://emilyshope.charity/.
A map of naloxone distribution locations is available at emilyshope.charity/find-narcan.
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