There is a new resource available in Mesa County to share with your employees. Kiosks are located throughout the community that provide free and easy access to naloxone. It is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

“We have strategically placed these resources throughout Mesa County so that everyone can have access. Our ultimate goal is to save lives and support harm reduction in our community,” said Chhavi Attri, community health planner at Mesa County Public Health.

According to the Community Health Needs Assessment that Mesa County Public Health released last year, the opioid overdose rate in Mesa County that resulted in an emergency department visit was 38.2 per 100,000 people between 2020 and 2022.

Statewide during this same timeframe it was 42.2 per 100,000. Another notable result of the Community Health Needs Assessment shows that from 2020 to 2022, Mesa County’s overdose death rate was 26.1 per 100,000. Statewide during that same time period the rate was 29.6 per 100,000.

Of those overdose deaths from 2020 to 2022, 82 percent were unintentional.

“Access to naloxone saves lives. By placing kiosks throughout Mesa County, we’re taking a bold step toward combating the opioid crisis and giving our community the tools to prevent unnecessary tragedies. Together, we can turn the tide and prioritize second chances” said Lyndall Young, Western Colorado Area Health Education Center outreach and education coordinator.

The kiosks are regularly maintained and restocked to ensure availability. Each kiosk includes the naloxone and bilingual instructions to guide you in assisting someone experiencing an overdose.

There are signs to watch for to know if someone is experiencing an opioid overdose: The person may be unconscious or unable to wake up; have slow or shallow breathing; or have difficulty breathing. Other possible symptoms include discolored skin, limp arms and legs and constricted pupils.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Visit the Mesa County Public Health website at mesacounty.us/public-health to learn how to administer naloxone and for information about substance-use prevention and treatment.

WCAHEC provides free training about recognizing overdoses and administering naloxone. For more information, email Lyndall Young at lyoung@wcahec.org.

Paige Hauptmann is a multimedia communication intern for Mesa County Public Health. For more information call (970)248-6900 or visit mesacounty.us/public-health.

KIOSK LOCATIONS

• Mesa County Public Health, 510 29 1/2 Road.
• Mesa County Criminal Justice Services, 636 South Ave.
• Mesa County Criminal Justice Services Treatment Center, 436 S. Seventh St.
• Colorado Health Network, 1001 Wellington Ave.
• Colorado Mesa University, University Center, 1455 N. 12th St.
• Western Colorado Area Health Education Center, 2938B North Ave.
• Mesa County Libraries Clifton Branch, 3270 D 1/2 Road, Building A.
• Mesa County Sheriff’s Office Detention Lobby, 215 Rice St.
• Lifespan Psychiatry of Colorado, 2140 N. 12th St.
• HomewardBound of the Grand Valley North Avenue Shelter, 2853 North Ave.

There are signs to watch for to know if someone is experiencing an opioid overdose: The person may be unconscious or unable to wake up; have slow or shallow breathing; or have difficulty breathing. Other possible symptoms include discolored skin, limp arms and legs and constricted pupils.