DuPage Narcan Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Following a record number of heroin overdose deaths in 2013, the DuPage County Health Department, DuPage Chiefs of Police, DuPage County Coroner, State’s Attorney and Sheriff initiated the DuPage Narcan Program in August of 2013. DuPage County became the first in the State of Illinois to equip law enforcement officers with a prescription medication called Narcan (Naloxone) because they are typically first on the scene of a potential drug overdose. Narcan is used to reverse an opioid overdose. When properly administered, it takes effect within 2 to 5 minutes, which is just in time for paramedics to arrive on scene. If there is no response, then a second dose can be administered. To date, 1,969 officers from 49 different law enforcement agencies have been trained through the program. Seven of these agencies are located outside of DuPage County. As of March 2015, first responders have saved 45 lives. The DuPage County Health Department, which administers the program, obtained approval from the Illinois Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) in October of 2013. The program supplies two doses of the lifesaving drug to all trained participants. Moving forward, the goal is to expand the program to high schools and colleges.