Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Redlands Community Hospital describes free Narcan kiosks and fentanyl test-strip distribution in Yucaipa
Summary
A hospital medical director told the council during public comment that Redlands Community Hospital has deployed three self-service kiosks providing free Narcan nasal spray and fentanyl test strips, and reported distribution and usage numbers since December 2024.
Dr. Evan Houck, medical director of the emergency department at Redlands Community Hospital, addressed the council during public comment to describe a state-funded Narcan (naloxone) distribution program and the hospital's kiosk installations in Yucaipa.
Houck said the program is administered by the California Department of Healthcare Services and is financed by the state general fund and opioid-settlement funds. "The state funded program provides free Narcan nasal spray financed by California's general fund and settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers and distributors," he said. The hospital installed three self-service kiosks: two on the main campus and one at the Yucaipa clinic on Fourth Street. Each kiosk dispenses Narcan nasal spray and fentanyl test strips anonymously and without patient registration.
Houck provided distribution figures since December 2024: 408 boxes of Narcan were stocked and 352 had been taken by the community; the hospital stocked 200 fentanyl test strips and reported 145 utilizations. He said the hospital treated more than 400 overdose cases last year and urged collaboration with the city to publicize and expand kiosk access.
Why it matters: Wider access to naloxone and test strips is intended to reduce fatal opioid overdoses, including those involving fentanyl. The hospital framed the kiosks as a low-barrier, anonymous option that complements other local harm-reduction efforts.
Follow up: No formal city action was taken; Dr. Houck invited partnership and public-awareness collaboration with the hospital and other stakeholders.
