With a 19% decrease in overdose deaths in the past year, Indiana has a larger decline than many other states battling substance use disorders.
Overdose Lifeline, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals, families and communities affected by substance use disorder, announced recently their work has reached a significant milestone- distributing 1 million naloxone kits to those in need.
The announcement was made at the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder, which meets quarterly to collaborate and discuss ideas to defeat the drug epidemic. The commission consists of stakeholders from all sides: prevention, treatment and enforcement.
At the meeting, Justin Phillips, founder of Overdose Lifeline, was awarded the Sagamore of Wabash, the governor’s highest award.
“Justin embodies the collaborative spirit that Governor Holcomb called for when we started this work in 2017,” said Douglas Huntsinger, executive director for drug prevention, treatment and enforcement.
Overdose Lifeline was founded in 2014 by Phillips when she lost her youngest son, Aaron, to a heroin overdose. Shortley after the death of her son, Phillips began advocating for recovery services in Indiana.
In 2015, Governor Mike Pence signed Aaron’s Law, which allowed public access to naloxone without a prescription.
The vision of overdose lifeline is “a time when the disease of addiction does not carry a stigma but is provided the attention and care required of a chronic disease,” according to their website.
Phillips hopes that their work will continue to save lives.
“I feel like we’re able to make a difference,” Phillips said. “We’re going to save lives. We’re going to stop people from having to experience what I have experienced.
It is who Aaron was — he would want to help people.”
For more information about Overdose Lifeline and their work, visit overdoselifeline.org.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
