What is naloxone?
- Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose–like an overdose caused by fentanyl or heroin.
- Naloxone is safe to use and only works if a person has opioids in their body.
- If you administer naloxone to someone who is overdosing, you are protected by the Rhode Island Good Samaritan Law. This law provides certain legal protection when you call 911 when someone is overdosing, whether you have drugs on you or not.
How is naloxone being used in Rhode Island?
Naloxone is an overdose prevention tool that we use all over the state. This video shows some of the people from Project Weber/RENEW who give out naloxone in Rhode Island. Hear about how they recognize an overdose and use naloxone to reverse overdoses.
Where can I get naloxone?
1. From a Rhode Island organization
In Rhode Island, you can get naloxone for free from a harm reduction organization.
Project Weber/RENEW (PWR)
Project Weber/RENEW
ABOUT:
Project Weber/RENEW is open for drop-in naloxone distribution, as well as needle exchange, fentanyl test strips, condoms, and other basic needs. You can contact this service at 401-383-4888.
WHEN:
Monday through Wednesday, Friday, 10 a.m to 4 p.m; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday.
Downtown Mobile Outreach: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE:
640 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907
124 Broad Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Downtown Mobile Outreach, Kennedy Plaza, in downtown Providence (on the side of Kennedy Plaza near the “Superman Building”(Industrial Trust Bank)).
AIDS Care Ocean State (ACOS)
AIDS Care Ocean State (ACOS)/Education, Needle Exchange, Counseling, Outreach, and Referral (ENCORE)
ABOUT:
ACOS/ENCORE is open for drop-in services for naloxone, needle exchange, safe sex packets, fentanyl test strip kits, safer smoking kits, and HIV/hepatitis C testing. There is also free, statewide delivery services available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. (Call before 3:30 p.m. for same day delivery). You can contact ACOS/ENCORE at 401-781-0665.
WHEN:
Drop-in center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, evening hours, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE:
557 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02907
ACOS also has vending machines offering fentanyl test strips, naloxone, safer injection kits, safer sex kits, hygiene kits, and wound care kits at the following locations:
Vending machine locations:
- Broad Med: 557 Broad Street, Providence 02907
- CODAC: 349 Huntington Avenue, Providence 02909
- Thundermist Health Center West Warwick: 186 Providence Street, West Warwick 02893
- Providence Community Health Center: 31 Atwood Street, Providence 02909
Community Care Alliance (CCA) Safe Haven
Community Care Alliance Safe Haven
ABOUT:
Safe Haven is a welcoming drop-in center for our unhoused neighbors that provides a place where people can rest, have a meal, and access harm reduction materials and basic necessities. You can contact Safe Haven at 401-235-6044.
WHEN:
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
WHERE:
245 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Woonsocket, RI 02895
2. Delivered to Your Home
Click the link below to start a short interactive training in English or Spanish. The training will take about 10 minutes. You will learn how to recognize an overdose, respond to an overdose using naloxone, and ways you can stay safer if you are using drugs. At the end of this short training, you can request free naloxone shipped to your house. You can also request to have a peer recovery specialist to contact you.
We are currently shipping naloxone to Rhode Island and Massachusetts border residents only. You can find out where to get naloxone in your state by visiting NEXT Distro.
3. From a pharmacy
You can get naloxone over the counter at the pharmacy. This means you won’t need a prescription. You can still get naloxone with a prescription. You can also use these instructions or watch this video to see how to give nasal naloxone.
Over-the-Counter (OTC)
You can get the nasal spray naloxone over-the-counter at the pharmacy. The estimated cost is to be between $40 and $50 dollars. This is best if you want naloxone anonymously.
Prescription
You can still get the nasal spray or injection naloxone with a prescription. This way does require a prescription with identification. This is best for insurance coverage through Medicaid, but may still require a copay with other insurances.
How do I use naloxone?
Community-Centered Naloxone Training Video
Project Weber/RENEW (PWR) recently created a new naloxone training video as a part of their Community Overdose Engagement (CODE) grant. The video is peer led and represents a community-centered approach to identifying and responding to overdoses with naloxone. The goal of the video is to create greater accessibility to overdose prevention trainings so folks who might not be able to attend in-person trainings can still have the educational tools to learn how to respond to overdoses and save lives.
MORE RESOURCES
Overdose prevention resources
There are other ways you can be safer when using drugs.
Respond to Overdose
Safer Drug Use Practices
People Who Use Drugs
Information for Community Partners
For organizations distributing naloxone in the community, you can request naloxone and enter data on your distribution by clicking the buttons below.
Three Ways to get Naloxone
Download a fact sheet to learn more about the three ways you can get naloxone.