Family Health West recently partnered with Mesa County Public Health to place a new naloxone kiosk on its campus. The kiosk is at 401 Kokopelli Blvd., Unit 2, which is conveniently located for those visiting Family Health West Urgent Care, Family Health West Primary Care and the Fruita Welcome Center.

Naloxone, also called Narcan, quickly reverses an opioid overdose by stopping opioids from affecting the body. Anyone could encounter an opioid overdose, so access to naloxone and knowledge of how to use it saves lives.

In recent years, Mesa County’s opioid death rate has stabilized. In 2024, there were 34 overdose deaths reported in Mesa County, down from 41 in 2023. Tools such as naloxone kiosks help keep those numbers moving in the right direction.

“Our ultimate goal is to save lives and support harm reduction in our community. The kiosks are meeting a critical need, offering timely, anonymous access to a medicine that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose,” said Chhavi Attri, Mesa County Public Health community health planner.

The kiosk offers free, always-available naloxone, as well as essential information for anyone to respond to an emergency situation. Informational stickers are placed on the outside of the kiosk, with clear instructions about how to use Narcan during an overdose. The kiosk also includes a QR code that links to the Mesa County Public Health website, where people can find additional kiosk locations, information about naloxone and fentanyl test strips, and other support services.

“We’re really proud of this collaboration and the community impact it’s already had,” Attri said. “Access to naloxone empowers our community to act. This kiosk makes it possible for anyone to step in, save a life, and help us move forward together in the fight against the opioid crisis.”