“I think all people are worth saving and this is an opportunity to save someone’s life,” said Chad Coursey, vice president of operations for the Behavioral Health Group.
“Our mission at BHG is to give people their lives back, to give somebody their son back, their dad back, their mom back, we help people recover and we help them reintegrate into society and become productive members of their community,” said Coursey. “Sometimes you have to save somebody’s life to do that and that is what this is all about, second chances.”
The Behavioral Health Group BHG Treatment Center located at 1369 N. Westwood Blvd. unveiled the newest Narcan (naloxone) vending machine location in Poplar Bluff with a ribbon cutting Wednesday.
This will be the second vending machine to come to the city, with the first being inside the lobby of the Butler County Health Department, which is located at 1619 N. Main St.
Narcan is a medication that can resuscitate an individual who has overdosed on substances such as heroin, fentanyl and prescription opioids. The potentially lifesaving medication has now been made available locally in vending machines, which are free to the public.
According to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers, the county has seen 25 overdose deaths year-to-date with three currently pending toxicology results.
As recently as Tuesday, Poplar Bluff police reported to a residence in the 900 block of Cedar Street for two overdose victims. A resident reported they administered two doses of Narcan to one of the victims before they called the police. Both victims were transported by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
According to GoodRx, in every U.S. state, you can now get Narcan without a prescription, but the average retail price is about $120, which many can not afford.
The need is real, as overdose deaths have risen drastically during the COVID pandemic. In the 12 months ending in April 2021, there was an increase of nearly 30% from the same period a year earlier, according to the CDC. That number equates to more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths, of which about 75% were from the use of opioids.
“We want to engage people, we want to make sure they have the education on how to use it,” said Christopher Thomason, BHG program director.
Thomason explained the only substantial difference between the machine located at the BCHD and the machine at BHG is the way you obtain the voucher for the medication since BHG is requiring a meeting with a counselor.
Coursey closed the unveiling by saying, “I appreciate the support and the folks that make this possible and the support of the (Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce) and mayor being here. That’s really powerful. I hope this is a hit here. I hope people find the help they need, stay in treatment and let the good folks here at BHG help them get their lives back.”