The Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) will now offer an opioid reversal kit to each offender upon their release.

Naloxone, or Narcan, is a medication approved to reverse overdose by opioids by blocking the effects of an overdose, and can be the difference between life and death.

During an offender’s pre-release medical screening, they will be asked if they would like to leave with a free naloxone kit, which includes one dose of the medication, instructions for use and a referral card for treatment.

Overdose Lifeline, Inc., has provided 2,255 kits to the IDOC for distribution. Data will be collected over time to determine how many kits leave each facility.

A list of resources around naloxone may be found at the Indiana Department of Health website at optin.in.gov.