Bureau of Indian Affairs Naloxone Program to Be Implemented in Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers will be provided with naloxone, the medication that can help to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, beginning next year. CDC reports that rates of opioid overdose in Native American communities have seen a fourfold increase since 2009. The naloxone program in Oklahoma is the first to help address this issue and will be expanded nationwide. Indian Health Services will pay for the naloxone and it will be dispensed through its 91 federal pharmacies. Participation in the pilot program is also open to tribal pharmacies, reports the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.