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County expands Narcan access and outlines three‑pillar overdose strategy
Summary
Montgomery County reported 30 fatal overdoses to date (a modest decrease) and that fentanyl was implicated in more than half of those fatalities. Officials said the county has deployed four Narcan kiosks (816 boxes dispensed in Q2) and plans harm‑reduction vending machines, broader Narcan saturation, fentanyl and xylazine test‑strip distribution, and targeted outreach to Latino and Black male populations.
Ben Stevenson II, manager for prevention and harm‑reduction services, briefed the council on overdose trends and county strategies. He said 30 fatal overdose intoxications were recorded in the county (a 3% decrease from the prior comparable period) and that fentanyl was present in 17 of the 30 fatal cases.
Stevenson described a three‑pillar overdose prevention plan focused on prevention and harm reduction, treatment and recovery, and public safety/systems interdiction. "We currently have 4 Narcan kiosks in circulation" and the kiosks dispensed about 816 boxes of naloxone in the second and third quarters; the county expects to exceed 1,000 by year‑end. The county plans to deploy harm‑reduction vending machines that will house naloxone and other supplies, increase distribution of fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and partner with community organizations to target outreach to high‑risk ZIP codes and disproportionately affected demographic groups.
Councilmembers asked whether kiosk locations reflected overdose hotspots; Stevenson said locations were data‑driven and the vending machines will use similar data. Staff also described community awareness and stigma‑reduction campaigns tailored to Black and Latino men, and outreach to organizations including the African American Health Program and Latino Health Initiative.
