Six ways we keep Rockland County safer.
Every program below is free. Together they cover the same ground the data says matters most: getting naloxone into hands before an overdose, helping people know what's actually in a substance, and reaching kids before the first pill.
Free Narcan (Naloxone) Kits
Naloxone is the single most effective tool for reversing an opioid overdose in progress, and we hand it out free, with no ID and no questions, to anyone in Rockland County who wants one.
- It works fast. Naloxone can restore normal breathing within 2–3 minutes of being given to someone overdosing on opioids.
- It works on the drugs actually in circulation — heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and hydromorphone.
- It's safe to use on anyone. Naloxone will not harm a person if it turns out they weren't overdosing on opioids, and it's safe from infancy through old age.
- It comes in two forms: a pre-filled nasal spray, or an injectable version — we train on whichever kit you take home.
- It buys time, not a cure. Always call 911 after using naloxone; a second dose may be needed after 2–3 minutes if breathing hasn't returned to normal.
Fentanyl Test Strips
A small strip of paper can tell you, in about two minutes, whether a pill or powder contains fentanyl — before anyone uses it. We give them out to anyone who uses substances, regardless of what substance that is.
- Fentanyl has moved into the whole drug supply, not just heroin — it now turns up in counterfeit pressed pills, powder and crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA.
- That's why we don't gatekeep who gets a strip. State guidance recommends distributing them to anyone who uses substances, regardless of their intended drug, because fentanyl contamination doesn't respect those lines.
- They're not foolproof. A strip tells you fentanyl is present, not how much — we pair every strip with guidance on going slow, not using alone, and keeping naloxone within reach.
- They're legal to distribute and use as a public-health harm-reduction tool, and federal funding can be used to purchase them.
Xylazine Test Strips
Xylazine, known on the street as "tranq," is a veterinary sedative increasingly found mixed into the fentanyl supply — and it's one naloxone alone can't touch. We hand out test strips and teach people what to do if they get a positive result.
- It's not an opioid — it's a sedative that slows breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure on its own, and compounds those effects when mixed with fentanyl.
- Naloxone will not reverse xylazine's effects. Always give naloxone anyway during a suspected overdose, since xylazine is usually mixed with an opioid, and always call 911.
- It causes severe wounds. Skin at and near injection sites can break down quickly; untreated, these wounds can lead to amputation. Early medical care manages them well.
- Knowing it's present changes the plan — more caution, never using alone, and getting wound care early rather than waiting.
Hands-On Naloxone Training
A kit sitting in a drawer doesn't save anyone. We run short, hands-on sessions — for individuals, families, schools, and workplaces — that walk through recognizing an overdose and actually administering naloxone.
- Recognizing an overdose: unconsciousness, slow or shallow breathing, discolored skin or lips, and pinpoint pupils.
- What to do, in order: call 911, give naloxone, position the person on their side, and stay with them until help arrives.
- Every attendee leaves with a free kit and the confidence to use it — no medical background required.
- Sessions run 20–30 minutes and can be scheduled for groups of any size across Rockland County.
Youth Prevention Education
We talk to kids and teens directly, in age-appropriate language, about counterfeit pills, fentanyl, and why "just this once" carries a real risk of being the last time. No scare tactics — just the facts, delivered honestly.
- Counterfeit pills are designed to look real — pressed to resemble prescription oxycodone, Xanax, or Adderall, but frequently contain fentanyl instead.
- Talks are built for the room: middle school, high school, and college-age content differs in language and depth.
- We give students a next step, not just a warning — how to get a free test strip or Narcan kit, and who to call.
- We work with schools and youth organizations across the county to schedule assemblies, health classes, and parent nights.
Community Outreach
Beyond schools, we show up where Rockland County already gathers — libraries, faith communities, community centers, and local events — to hand out supplies, answer questions, and chip away at the stigma that keeps people from asking for help.
- Stigma costs lives. People who fear judgment are less likely to carry naloxone, use test strips, or call 911 during an overdose.
- We meet neighbors where they already are, rather than asking them to seek us out first.
- Every outreach event includes free supplies — Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips — on the spot.
- Want us at your event? Reach out and we'll do our best to be there.