It is especially important during the coronavirus pandemic that people know where to get Naloxone training and kits. Naloxone kits are essential to the livelihood of any city, town, or municipality, and Orange County is no different.

“We want to make sure that families and folks who need Narcan kits in their homes have it,” said Jim Conklin, executive director of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County (ADAC).

Narcan is a nasal spray that contains Naloxone, the active ingredient which is designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.

“We’re really teaching people not just how to do it, but why they’re doing it and the importance of doing it,” he said.

His organization is offering the public free Naloxone training, even during the pandemic.

“Drug addiction is going to be continuing, just as it does in normal circumstances. With more people being home, it’s more likely that overdoses will occur in the home,” Conklin said.

That’s why ADAC is making its peer engagement specialists and family support navigators available to the public.

"All of our staff are trained as trainers. So if a family were to call us, we would do the training with them, and they can ... pick up their Narcan kits at our office. We would leave it in a package on our porch for them," he said.

In neighboring Ulster County, Executive Pat Ryan announced an initiative last week to provide training to his county.

“[We know] the pressure is even greater now and the resources are harder to get to for those struggling with substance use disorders,” he said.

The first few virtual pieces of training were launched by organizations including the Ellenville Regional Hospital and the Rural Health Network. Both counties are working with Columbia University researchers to reduce opioid deaths.

If you are in Orange County, you can reach a peer engagement specialist at 1-844-984-4673. For training in Ulster County, visit their website at covid19.ulstercountyny.gov.