The Somerset County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed Sept. 25, 2025, as Save a Life Day and received a briefing on local naloxone distribution plans ahead of the national observance.

The proclamation cites a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics provisional report that 80,391 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2024 and supports the county’s participation in the national naloxone distribution effort.

During the meeting a county staff member who identified herself as Lisa described the history and local participation in Save a Life Day, saying the initiative began as a two-county pilot in West Virginia in 2020 and was spearheaded by SOAR West Virginia. Lisa said Somerset County joined the effort in 2024 and distributed more than 600 naloxone (Narcan) kits in a single day last year.

Lisa said CareSource, listed as an event sponsor, donated 50 naloxone distribution boxes to SOAR West Virginia; Somerset County was selected among eligible counties to receive one of those boxes. The presenter said each box holds about 200 Narcan kits, includes a QR code linking to a how-to video on administering naloxone, and the county plans to partner with a local food bank to place the box for public access.

The presenter described the county’s Sept. 25, 2025, goals as providing free naloxone kits, offering Narcan trainings and sharing information about addiction treatment resources and stigma reduction. The proclamation is signed by the five county commissioners.

The discussion at the meeting was informational and accompanied the formal proclamation; no additional funding or ordinance was enacted at the meeting relating to the distribution box or program. The county representative said outreach will expand this year; specific distribution locations, schedules and budget details were not specified at the meeting.