Northampton County reports 15,740 Narcan distributions and expands mobile RISE outreach

Kathy Gerlach, administrator of Northampton County’s Drug and Alcohol Division, told the Human Services Committee on April 2 that the county has distributed 15,740 units of naloxone since the launch of the “Fake Is Real” campaign in 2023.

"Since the beginning of the Fake Is Real campaign, we have distributed over 15,000 boxes of Narcan," Gerlach said, noting the county also has 13 public Narcan distribution boxes and an online request portal for Narcan, Deterra drug-disposal bags and medication lockboxes.

Gerlach said the division directs opioid settlement funding to keep five recovery centers open and to expand recovery housing. She described Oasis as a family recovery center that provides grief and loss support for relatives of people who died from overdoses, and named other centers including the Hope Center, Clean Slate (Bangor), Change on Main (Northampton) and Palmer Recovery Center (Easton).

Gerlach outlined core services and referral pathways: residents or partner agencies may call 610-829-4725 (829-HELP) or email drgalc@norcopa.gov for referrals; hospitals use a CATCH/HOST protocol for immediate ED assessments; and certified recovery specialists and contracted providers provide ongoing case management and treatment linkages.

Dana Stibelsky, program coordinator for the RISE (Recovery Initiatives Supporting Everyone) van, described the mobile unit’s outreach work and recent activity. "RISE is a mobile outreach vehicle that travels throughout Northampton County offering access to addiction and recovery services face-to-face with community members," Stibelsky said.

Stibelsky reported that after the van launched in late January 2025, county logs show 36 outreach visits from February–December 2025, 955 community contacts, 114 people who accessed recovery support, and 508 Narcan kits distributed. For 2026 to date she reported nine outreach visits, 93 community contacts and 40 Narcan kits distributed.

The RISE van provides on-the-spot drug-and-alcohol assessments, instant mental-health linkage, warm handoffs into treatment placements, Narcan and wound-care kits, and connections to housing and employment resources. Stibelsky said staffing for the van includes a certified recovery specialist from the Hope Center and periodic mental-health outreach support from Human Services.

Committee members asked about coordination with reentry employment programs and local colleges. Gerlach said county staff participated in Collegiate Recovery Week at five area colleges last year and maintain Narcan boxes and outreach at campuses.

Officials also discussed LETI, a law-enforcement diversion initiative run by the district attorney that permits eligible defendants to pursue treatment instead of prosecution. Gerlach said the program remains voluntary and requires coordinated buy-in from police, magistrates and the DA’s office.

The county said it has distributed 235,271 Deterra drug-disposal bags (a 2024 mailer) and 850 medication lockboxes to seniors and parents; Gerlach added that the county will continue to prioritize adolescents and other state-defined priority populations for funding when treatment is needed.

The presentation closed with an open invitation for committee members to tour the RISE van or observe outreach in the community.

Next steps: county staff will continue RISE outreach and recovery-housing conversations and report back to the committee on coordination with courts and community partners.