BOISE, Idaho — This week the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced they'd be relaunching their Narcan distribution program. This comes months after the Idaho Legislature passed a law that diverted grant money for Narcan that could be accessed by non-profits, to first responders.
- In November, Idaho News 6 interviewed the Boise Seal Project which hopes to end the fentanyl and opioid crisis in Boise. They hope to do this by providing education, and giving access to Narcan to everyone.
- This change with the IDHW will help them out.
- Here is a link to their GoFundMe
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
This week, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced they are relaunching their Narcan Distribution Program.
Narcan supplies will now be provided to *local groups thanks to coordinated efforts by Kootenai County Fire & Rescue.
"And that helps us significantly because it was shut down for that while that there was no distribution, there was no Narcan available. Now that it is resourced with Emergent BioSolutions, Everything can come back into play," Said Jacob Danney.
Jacob Danney is the communications director for the Boise Seal Project.
Their goal is to get Narcan vending machines all around Boise, to make the drug accessible in a country where Opioid related deaths are growing each year.
The project was running into issues getting the drug because the Idaho legislature passed a law diverting funds for the drug to first responders only.
Now groups can request the supplies.
"You petition for an order, you sign up, tell them what you're about, we told them who we are as a non-profit, you ask for so many and they fund you, they ship them to you," Danney explained to Idaho News 6.
They say getting the drug in the hands of the people is important, as well as better education.
"This is out there and it is an issue, and the more knowledge on paper you have, you can get around it," Danney said.
The Boise Seal project tells Idaho News 6 that Mulligan's Bar downtown will be the first bar to get a vending machine. BSP has the Narcan supplies, but now it's all about raising money to get the actual machines for the local non profit.
Danney says the vending machines, that will offer free Narcan to anyone, are their priority now, as well as finishing a curriculum that local schools can use.
He says the group needs the support of the community.
"I know it's well aware on the news, it's happening, reoccurring over and over. To help the donations and us to get the resources viable to help the rest of the community," Danney said.
