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FREE Opioid overdose kits are available at all DPH health clinics. Call the Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 and ask where you can pick up an opioid overdose prevention kit or use our health clinic locator tool.

Find a public health clinic near you

The South Carolina Department of Public Health is working hard to reduce opioid overdoses in the State by supporting the distribution of the lifesaving opioid antidote, Naloxone (Narcan®). Naloxone is distributed at each public health clinic, to schools, emergency departments and to community distributors. The public and others supporting distribution can find information on where and how to obtain Naloxone below.

Free Opioid Overdose Kits. Kits are available at local health departments. Naloxone spray to left of text


Pick up a free OD safety kit from a local health clinic so you are prepared to respond during an opioid overdose.

Each free kit includes:

  • Naloxone nasal spray: An easy-to-use medicine that can reverse the effects of opioids
  • Fentanyl and xylazine test strips: Can tell you if fentanyl or xylazine are in different kinds of drugs
  • Easy-to-read instructions (Spanish instructions available upon request)
  • Info on how to spot an opioid overdose

What are Opioids?

Opioids are drugs used for pain relief that are made from the opium poppy plant. Some people get opioids with a prescription from their doctor. Sometimes, people use illegal opioids (pain pills without a prescription, heroin, or cocaine). No matter where you get them, opioids can be dangerous if not used correctly. Opioids come in many different forms and go by many different names. Opioids caused more than 1,800 deaths in South Carolina in 2022. Fentanyl is a dangerous opioid found in drugs like heroin and cocaine. Fentanyl caused more than 1,600 deaths in South Carolina in 2022.

DPH is one of 66 recipients awarded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to Action cooperative agreement. The DPH Injury and Substance Use Prevention team works with the SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) as part of the Governor's Opioid Emergency Response Team to help prevent opioid misuse and opioid deaths in South Carolina. 

Overdose Prevention

Naloxone (Narcan®) is a medicine that can reverse the effects of opioids. Opioids include drugs, like heroin, prescription pain killers, and fentanyl. It is safe to use even if opioids are not present. For more information on naloxone, contact Julia Horan at horanjc@dph.sc.gov.

Naloxone Distribution

If you are worried that you or someone you know could have an opioid overdose, be ready with a free opioid overdose kit from your local DPH health clinic. We do not ask for personal information or ID. Find a clinic near you with the online clinic locator tool or call the DPH Care Line at 1-855-472-3432. For more information on naloxone, contact Julia Horan at horanjc@dph.sc.gov.

In 2023, the South Carolina Legislature passed House Bill 4122, which Governor McMaster signed into law, authorizing DHEC — Department of Public Health’s (DPH) predecessor— in consultation with South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), to create and update a list of lifesaving medications school nurses and trained staff are authorized to use in schools and provide guidelines for each medication.

Through this partnership with the SCDE, two free boxes of Naloxone (Narcan®)(each containing two doses for a total of four doses per school) were made available for pickup to every K-12 school in South Carolina. School naloxone distribution was made possible with funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cooperative agreement Overdose Data-to-Action. This effort is ongoing, while supplies last. There is no cost to schools for participating. For more information, contact Victoria Ladd at laddvj@dph.sc.gov.

Resources for Schools

People who use opioids often go to the hospital for help. DPH works with the SC Hospital Association to give free naloxone to emergency departments. For more information, contact Julia Horan at horanjc@dph.sc.gov.

Resources for Hospitals

Contact

Julia Horan - horanjc@dph.sc.gov 

Community distributors, who have obtained a community distribution designation through the SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS), and lack a sustainable funding source, may qualify for Naloxone from DPH while supplies last. For more information, contact Julia Horan at horanjc@dph.sc.gov.

Resources for Community Distributors