Boone County Jail to give Narcan to inmates upon release

The Boone County jail will start giving Narcan to inmates who are being released from the facility.

Narcan is the life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

The Boone County commission approved the proposal at their meeting Tuesday morning. The funding for the program is coming from a federal grant.

Inmates will be given Narcan on an individual need-by-need basis. They will have to ask for a Narcan kit when they are released from custody, and they will also be given information about addiction and treatment.

“We’re going to provide them an avenue for treatment. And if they take that avenue for treatment then we will hopefully reduce the amount of taxation towards the hospitals, the ERs, the emergency services provided, the law enforcement and of course the jail itself,” Capt. Keith Hoskins, Detection Director of the Boone County Jail, said.

St. Louis City and St. Louis County are also a part of the grant and will be getting Narcan kits for detainees who are released.

Hoskins said the long term goal is to get more people into treatment. “If we can get these individuals off the opioid then it would be better for the community.”