Opioid Prevention and Naloxone Distribution

Montana is divided into five public health regions, each with its own hub for opioid education and naloxone distribution. Lewis and Clark Public Health serves as the hub for Region 5, covering:

Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Gallatin, Granite, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Madison, Meagher, Park, Powell, Silver Bow, and Sweet Grass counties.

Looking for naloxone near you? Use the state's Where to Get Naloxone interactive map to find a location or request naloxone directly through our hub's form.

Naloxone (often known by the brand name Narcan) is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes. It works by temporarily blocking the effects of opioids on the brain, restoring normal breathing in someone who has slowed or stopped breathing due to an overdose.

A few key facts:

• Naloxone is safe, easy to use, and has no effect on someone if opioids aren't present in their system.
• It comes as a nasal spray, making it simple for anyone to administer with little to no training.
• It is not a substitute for emergency medical care — always call 911 after administering naloxone.
• Anyone can carry naloxone: it's recommended for people who use drugs, their friends and family, and anyone likely to witness an overdose.

There are three ways to get naloxone in Region 5:

Individuals:

• Order through Region's 5 Ordering hub form, which will ship a limited supply directly to your home at no cost.
  • Please keep in mind that we cannot do large quantities, as we are grant funded and need to keep track of where they will be distributed.

Organizations and bulk requests:

• Order through the Montana naloxone request portal (state site), which ships 25 boxes per request each month.
• If you are a school, business, library, detention facility, hotel, or other organization in need of a larger and/or ongoing supply, request directly through Region's 5 Ordering hub form.

Region 5's Hub Coordinator

• Vivi Tyler, vtyler@lccountymt.gov or 406-457-8958

We offer free overdose recognition and naloxone administration training for schools, organizations, and the public. Trainings are typically an hour long and cover Opioid education, how to recognize an overdose, how to administer naloxone, and what to do while waiting for emergency help.

• Organizations & the Public:  Naloxone Training Request Form 
• Upcoming Community Trainings: Calendar Coming Soon

Risk reduction is a set of practical strategies aimed at reducing the negative consequences of drug use — meeting people where they are, without judgment, while connecting them to care, resources, and support.

Stigma around opioid use is one of the biggest barriers to people seeking help. Talking about substance use with compassion, using person-first language (for example, "person with substance use disorder" rather than labels), and treating overdose as a medical emergency rather than a moral failing all save lives.

Helpful frameworks and resources:

• SAMHSA: Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit
• National Harm Reduction Coalition: Principles of Harm Reduction
• CDC Stop Overdose: Stigma Reduction

Crisis & Support Lines

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• 911 for medical emergencies
• 211 for community and social service referrals

General Education

• SAMHSA
• National Harm Reduction Coalition
• CDC Overdose Prevention

Schools

• Montana Substance Abuse Prevention for Schools — statewide curriculum, policy, and prevention resources for Montana schools

Jails & Detention Facilities

• Lewis and Clark County Detention Center (Helena) — substance abuse support and rehabilitation programming
• Gallatin County Detention Center — Fresh Start Reentry Program (Bozeman) — discharge planning and addiction counseling for people leaving custody
• Helena Prerelease Center (Boyd Andrew Community Services) — chemical dependency and mental health treatment for men transitioning from incarceration
• Gallatin County Re-Entry Program (Bozeman) — pre-release and reentry program addressing substance use, employment, and education
• Southwest Montana Addiction Recovery & Treatment Program (Butte-Silver Bow) — county-contracted substance use disorder treatment and transitional reentry services

The Good Samaritan Law

• Passed in 2017, also known as the Help Save Lives from Overdose Act
• Aims to increase access to naloxone so it can be successfully administered outside of a clinical setting or facility by friends, family members, or bystanders who have received minimal training in overdose recognition and naloxone administration.
• Encourages people to seek medical treatment for an overdose by providing immunity for certain offenses for those who seek help and those who receive it.
• Only drug-related, does not protect against other types of offenses police may find evidence for – theft, illegal weapons, etc.
• Also protects responders who administer naloxone.