Statewide initiative expands access to life-saving medication to prevent opioid overdose deaths 

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Health Care Authority is making naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, available in every Income Support Division (ISD) office and training staff to help prevent opioid overdoses and save lives. 

“ISD offices help people across New Mexico, including those and their loved ones who may be at risk of an opioid overdose,” said Kari Armijo, cabinet secretary of the Health Care Authority. “By providing naloxone in every ISD office and training staff, we are making life-saving resources more available to communities that need them most.” 

To strengthen overdose prevention efforts, the Health Care Authority (HCA) is taking the following steps: 

• All ISD offices statewide will receive free naloxone to ensure it is available for those who need it. 
• HCA’s Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD), in partnership with Naloxone Training and Distribution Hub Partners, is providing in-person and virtual training to ISD staff on how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses. 
• In the next three months, 20 naloxone vending machines will be deployed, with four installed in Crisis Triage Centers and 16 placed in high-traffic ISD offices and counties with the highest overdose rates. 
• BHSD will continue to expand naloxone training, public awareness campaigns, and partnerships with local organizations to enhance overdose prevention efforts statewide. 

Naloxone is a critical tool in the fight against opioid overdoses, reversing the effects of opioids like heroin, morphine, and oxycodone within minutes. It can be administered as a nasal spray or injection and is safe for use by non-medical personnel. 

Following the FDA’s approval of over-the-counter naloxone in March 2023, access to the medication has expanded, but many at-risk communities still face barriers to obtaining it. Through this initiative, the state is making naloxone free and easily accessible through ISD offices, local health departments, and harm reduction programs. 

“This initiative is about saving lives,” said Armijo. “No one should die from an overdose when we have the tools to prevent it.” 

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