Henrico County starts pilot project offering free naloxone to reduce opioid deaths

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico County is launching a pilot project to reduce opioid overdose deaths by providing free naloxone in multiple public facilities.

The county announced in a Feb. 17 press release that the pilot project will place cabinets with naloxone, a drug overdose medication that’s used to reduce or reverse the effects of opioids, at two libraries and four mental health offices, to support individuals in recovery from opioid addiction.

Led by the Empower Henrico Task Force with Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services and Henrico County Public Library, the pilot project is funded by allocations made to the county from opioid litigation settlements.

The county received $17,986 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and contributed an additional $5,000 in settlement funds made directly to the county, per a release.

“By making this easy-to-use, lifesaving drug readily accessible – anonymously, at no cost and no questions asked – we’re empowering our community to save the life of a friend or a loved one if the need arises,” said Michael Y. Feinmel, Henrico’s deputy county manager for Public Safety and co-chair of the Empower Henrico Task Force. “This pilot project is part of our community’s comprehensive strategy to reduce overdose deaths and to create a culture that’s focused on support and recovery. We look forward to this effort expanding to more locations over the next few years and are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and Westwood Pharmacy. Bringing two libraries into this effort further demonstrates our leaders’ commitment to building and strengthening a culture of recovery.” 

Empower Henrico Distribution Cabinets, which can hold up to 10 boxes of naloxone, have been installed at the following locations:

• Libbie Mill Library, located at 2100 Libbie Lake East St.
• Fairfield Area Library, located at 401 N. Laburnum Ave. 
• Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services – Woodman Road, 10299 Woodman Road 
• Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services – Richmond Medical Park, 2010 Bremo Road #122 
• Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services – East Center, 3908 Nine Mile Road 
• Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services – Charles City and New Kent, 9403-A Pocahontas Trail in Providence Forge

County officials urge people to take a box of naloxone if they or someone they know is at risk of an opioid overdose. 

Each box has two doses of naloxone -- though individuals are asked to take only one box per visit due to a limited supply.

According to a release, each box includes a flyer with a QR code that explains naloxone and how to administer it.

Henrico officials also emphasized their efforts to reduce overdose deaths with the construction of a 60-bed recovery and treatment center on the Eastern Government Center campus on Nine Mile Road -- a facility expected to begin construction in the next few weeks and open in the fall of 2026.

For more information on the Power Henrico Task Force, click here.