Webster County Health Unit celebrates success of ‘Rest Easy Naloxone Project’ with ribbon cutting ceremony, September 1

The Webster County Health Unit invites community members, partner organizations, elected officials and members of the media to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the Rest Easy Naloxone Project on Tuesday, September 1, at 11 a.m. at the Conway Travel Center – East, 110620 I-44 East, Conway, (Mile Marker 110), Webster County, Missouri.

Launched on May 6, the Rest Easy Naloxone Project is an innovative community partnership designed to make the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone readily available to travelers passing through Webster County along Interstate 44. In just a few short months, the project has already distributed more than 430 boxes of the lifesaving medication, demonstrating both the need for and the value of increasing access to this proven overdose intervention.

The project places free naloxone in an easily accessible location where travelers heading both eastbound and westbound on Interstate 44 can obtain the medication without cost. Naloxone is a safe medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, restoring breathing and providing valuable time until emergency medical services arrive. Public health experts agree that widespread access to naloxone saves lives and is one of the most effective tools available in addressing the ongoing opioid overdose crisis.

The Rest Easy Naloxone Project represents the power of collaboration among organizations committed to improving the health and safety of Missouri communities. Partners include APO Community Health Center, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Webster County Health Unit, Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Southwest Missouri Drug Poisoning Coalition, Missouri Hospital Association and The Naloxone Project.

"This project is about meeting people where they are and ensuring that a lifesaving medication is available when it counts," said Ashley Dedmon, MSEd, Drug Free Communities Project Director for the Webster County Health Unit. "More than 300 boxes have already been distributed since May, showing that travelers recognize the importance of being prepared to respond to an overdose emergency. We are incredibly grateful for the commitment of our partners, whose shared vision has made this innovative project a reality."

Dedmon adds, "Naloxone is not just for individuals struggling with opioid use disorder. Family members, friends, first responders, businesses and everyday citizens can all play a role in saving a life. Having naloxone readily available is no different than having a fire extinguisher or an automated external defibrillator (AED); you hope you never need it, but when you do, it can make all the difference."

The Webster County Health Unit encourages the public to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony to learn more about the project, recognize the collaborative partners who made it possible, and celebrate an initiative that is already making a meaningful impact across southwest Missouri.

For additional information about the Rest Easy Naloxone Project or other substance misuse prevention initiatives, contact the Webster County Health Unit at 417-859-2532.