Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident asks Los Banos to install naloxone displays in city lobbies after recent overdoses
Summary
A resident with lived experience urged the council to approve naloxone display cases in city department lobbies following several local overdoses and county hospital data showing a concerning opioid‑related ED visit rate for teen girls; she offered county contacts for placement and distribution.
At the council’s public forum on July 1, Annie Venius, who identifies as a person with lived experience of substance use, urged the city to install free naloxone display cases in department lobbies, saying the measure could save lives after several recent local overdoses and fatalities.
Venius cited a Merced County Department of Public Health presentation and hospital data noting a high rate of drug‑related emergency‑department visits for teenage girls between 2023 and the first quarter of 2026 and urged the council to permit and facilitate naloxone displays in city buildings. "Naloxone is a life‑saving non‑addictive tool. It's like a fire extinguisher," she said, asking the council and department heads to approve display cases in all department lobbies including city hall.
Venius said Merced County Behavioral Health and local harm‑reduction groups already distribute naloxone free of charge and that the county can provide tabletop display cases. She told councilmembers she would follow up by email to coordinate placement and logistics.
Councilmembers and staff did not take immediate formal action at the meeting; staff and interested departments will have the request on record for follow‑up. Venius’s remarks raised a public‑health matter that city staff said they would route to the appropriate departments for consideration and coordination with county providers.
