Assessment of a County-Wide, Pan-First Responder Take-Home Naloxone Program in Denver, Colorado

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine
• Geospatial Analysis

Background:

• Opioid overdose remains a critical public health issue.
• Leave-behind naloxone programs aim to increase access to overdose reversal medication.
• Integrating naloxone distribution into first responder workflows is an emerging strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a county-wide, multi-agency first responder naloxone leave-behind program.
• To map the geospatial distribution of naloxone kits distributed by various first responder agencies.
• To identify optimal locations for future naloxone distribution based on usage patterns.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of naloxone kit distributions over a 12-month period in Denver, Colorado.
• Data collected from trained first responders (EMS, police, fire, mobile crisis unit) via an online form.
• Descriptive statistics and geospatial hotspot analysis to identify distribution clusters and proximity to public facilities.

Main Results:

• Over 1000 interactions resulted in the distribution of 2438 naloxone kits.
• Paramedics (57.7%) and the mobile crisis unit (26.3%) were primary distributors.
• Geospatial analysis revealed 24 hotspots, with 23 located near public transit stops, indicating a clustering around transportation hubs.

Conclusions:

• A pan-first-responder leave-behind naloxone program is feasible county-wide.
• Mobile crisis units and paramedics are key to successful distribution.
• Geospatial targeting near transit hubs can optimize naloxone placement in high-risk areas.