ST. LOUIS — Those released from the St. Louis County Justice Center will now be provided with a potentially life-saving tool.
On Friday, the Justice Center announced it will now be offering Narcan to detainees when it's time for them to leave the facility, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Narcan, which can effectively treat a narcotics overdose, is provided for free to anyone who wants it through the county health department.
“Our detainees often have substance abuse challenges when they arrive and we know that those challenges often remain when they leave our care,” said Scott Anders, acting director of Justice Services. “Narcan has proven to save lives and we are glad we can make it more widely available to a vulnerable population.”
County Executive Dr. Sam Page worked as a council member to get a prescription drug monitoring program established, as one way to help fight the opioid crisis. Providing free Narcan to a population often struggling with narcotics is another important step in the journey, he said in a news release.
“With this DOJ grant, we were able to purchase thousands of doses of this life-saving medicine to provide detainees when they are released back into the community,” County Executive Page said. “Access to healthcare is often beyond reach for those who come into the criminal justice system so this nasal spray can be the difference between life and death during an overdose crisis.”
