(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Police departments have long administered Narcan to save people overdosing on opioids. Now, some Chicago Public Library branches will have the antidote available beginning later this month.
The Chicago Department of Public Health has been training library workers to administer the nasal spray, which can revive someone who has OD’d. Initially, 14 branches on the South and West sides will have the drug available from wall-mounted boxes.
The city recorded 467 overdose deaths in the first half of 2021. The department’s medical director of behavioral health said it’s often bystanders who help, and having Narcan in public spaces can prevent deaths and buy more time for emergency responders.
The initiative is funded by a grant from CDC.
“As we continue to thoughtfully examine the ways our libraries support the neighborhoods we are in, this partnership to offer Narcan at library branches is a natural fit,” Chicago Public Library Deputy Commissioner Maggie Clemons said in a news release.
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