San Mateo County announced the launch of a program this week to place emergency overdose medication in publicly accessible boxes around the county.
A box containing naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, at Sequoia Station in Redwood City. Courtesy San Mateo County.
The program will place a small newspaper box in front of businesses and organizations that will be filled with naloxone, which comes in a nasal spray and can reverse the effects of an overdose from opioids. It is commonly known by one of its brand names, Narcan.
The Naloxone Stand Box program is being rolled out by the San Mateo County Overdose Prevention Coalition, which is a partnership of community organizations and San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services, part of the county’s health department.
The first box was placed at the Allcove youth center on El Camino Real in San Mateo in December.
“Beyond expanding access to lifesaving medication, the Coalition is an important and necessary step in reducing the stigma associated with substance-use disorders and overdose through education, training and engagement with youth, schools, unhoused and other at-risk populations,” said Ronni Brown, the Overdose Prevention Coalition’s chairperson and a senior community health planner with the county’s Behavioral Health & Recovery Services division.
There were 54 opioid-related overdose deaths in the county in 2024 and 121 opioid-related emergency department visits, according to the county’s health department.
Applicants should be able to securely keep one of the boxes in a publicy accessible place and restock it as needed, according to a news release detailing the program.
To apply for a box at no cost, visit https://tinyurl.com/yh4w8fd5.
The boxes can hold up to 74 doses of naloxone. Participants are responsible for restocking the boxes, but the San Mateo County Overdose Prevention Coalition will help connect volunteers with free supplies from a state program that makes them accessible at no cost.
The boxes are a little over 3 feet tall, weigh about 30 pounds and are 16 inches wide by 15 inches deep. Smaller versions are also available.
The program also asks participants to track the number of boxes restocked and the number of overdoses that were reversed using supplies from each box.
