Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone can ONLY reverse an overdose caused by opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone and other opioid prescription medications. There are three different types of naloxone: injectable, auto injectable, and a nasal spray (Narcan®).
While naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, further medical care is still necessary as naloxone works for only 30 to 90 minutes. Since many opioids can remain in the body longer than that and have varying potencies, additional doses of naloxone may be required. Call 911 immediately if you suspect an opioid overdose and monitor the person constantly until care arrives.
An opioid overdose is a serious, life-threatening emergency which requires immediate medical attention. Please call 911 immediately if you witness anyone exhibit any of the following symptoms:
In Arizona, individuals can purchase naloxone at any pharmacy without a prescription thanks to the Arizona Department of Health Services Standing Orders for Naloxone.
Additionally, local community partners and businesses have banded together to increase accessibility to naloxone. Click here to find a fixed naloxone community distribution site near you!
Pima County Health Department’s Community Mental Health and Addiction team offers free Narcan® administration training where you can learn more about recognizing an opioid overdose and how to respond with the use of Narcan®. Please click here for more information and to register for a training or contact the team at [email protected]
Pima County Health Department’s Community Mental Health & Addiction team has case managers who offer one-on-one support for individuals at high risk for overdose. Staff will meet with referred members in the community to discuss different options for treatment and make warm handoffs to providers. Case managers can provide Narcan and fentanyl test kits along with overdose prevention education. These services are free of charge and no insurance is required.
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Pima Helpline is a community-driven and community-made resource. We realize that everybody needs support for mental health, substance use, or addiction at some point in their life. We also know that looking for treatment can be confusing and scary.
We believe that it should be easy for Pima County residents to find help for mental health, substance use, and addiction. To achieve this, we created Pima Helpline as a centralized place to find mental health and addiction treatment, services, and support.