How To Host a Community Naloxone Training

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How To Host a Community Naloxone Training: A Step-by-Step Toolkit for Public Libraries, Schools, and Local Organizations

In the past several years, the opioid crisis has hit a crescendo in the United States. In 2022, over 81,000 people died from opioid overdoses. This includes both natural opioids, also known as opiates, that may exist in morphine, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl and tramadol.

There are various reasons for the rising death rate. For one, many public health experts believe that medical health professionals overprescribe painkillers, which has led to a rise in addiction rates. Secondly, many people simply don’t have access to medical detoxification or addiction treatment. Thirdly, many people may not have the financial resources to pay for addiction treatment and education.

There is a light at the end of this tunnel, however, and it comes in the form of increased access to resources and medication that can not only prevent addiction but also overdose deaths. One miracle drug that can assist in overdose deaths is naloxone. In Nashville, Tennessee, for example, the local police department found a 30.4% decrease in overdose-related deaths after releasing 6,000 kits in 2024.

The key, it turns out, comes from community action. The more people and communities that make a change in making this drug accessible, the more we can target the opioid crisis. If your community has yet to take action, you have the power to do so through your public library, school, or other local organizations. Here’s a guide on how to get started by initiating your own naloxone training.

Step 1 – Get Internal Buy-In and Approval

Even though naloxone has proven benefits, you must first obtain approval from your organization, whether it’s a school, public library, or local agency, before initiating your training. Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on emotion alone. Instead, you can use data and values-based reasoning to build your case.

Ideally, your pitch should include:

• Local statistics: How many opioid overdoses have occurred in your city or county in the past year? Is there evidence of increased fentanyl contamination in the drug supply? Many state and local health departments maintain dashboards or publish annual reports that can provide this context. Demonstrating the scope of the problem helps shift the conversation from “Should we do this?” to “How can we afford not to?”
• A connection to your organization’s mission and values. For example, public libraries often emphasize inclusivity, access, and community service. Schools may focus on student and family wellbeing. Local nonprofits may have charters that promote safety and social support. Positioning naloxone training as an extension of these values helps frame the program as a natural and meaningful addition to your organization’s offerings.
• An explanation of broader community impact: Naloxone training doesn’t just save lives — it reduces strain on emergency responders, creates education opportunities, and builds trust between institutions and the people they serve. By illustrating the positive impact, your organization’s leadership will be more likely to agree to your proposition of naloxone training

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list. Don’t be afraid to include additions to your pitch that you can personalize to your organization and leadership in a way that’ll matter the most to them.

How To Address Concerns

Along the way, you’ll likely encounter concerns from your organization’s leadership. Some may worry about liability, public perception, or the potential for attracting controversy. Others may be unfamiliar with harm reduction as a philosophy and need more information before they feel comfortable moving forward.

To address legal concerns, highlight the presence of Good Samaritan laws in most states, which protect individuals and organizations who administer naloxone in good faith. These laws encourage intervention in emergencies without fear of prosecution.

When it comes to stigma, focus on harm reduction. Make it clear that naloxone training is not about condoning drug use; it’s about keeping people alive long enough to access addiction treatment, support, or recovery. Remind leadership that overdoses can happen to anyone: teens experimenting, parents managing pain, or neighbors who unknowingly use a contaminated substance. Framing the training as a public health measure, rather than a controversial stance, can ease discomfort and align the program with shared civic goals.

Step 2 – Secure a Qualified Trainer

Once you gain approval, you’ll need to find an educated expert who not only has experience in responding to overdoses but also has hours of groundwork on harm reduction principles. Some common trainers include:

• Public health nurses: Often employed by county health departments or school health systems, public health nurses have experience in emergency response and community health education. They bring both medical knowledge and communication skills that make them well-suited for public training sessions.
• Local harm reduction organizations: These nonprofits specialize in serving people who use drugs and often offer free or low-cost naloxone training. Their trainers typically bring lived experience, nonjudgmental approaches, and a deep understanding of the drug supply and overdose risks in your area.
• State or city health departments: Many health departments have designated overdose prevention teams or substance use outreach coordinators. These professionals are often certified to train the public in naloxone use and may offer materials, kits, or funding as part of their services.

To find an experienced instructor who can assist in your training, you can either look at your state, district, or county health department website. They either already have an established program of trainers you can work with, or you can help them start a program.

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Step 3 – Source Naloxone Kits and Educational Materials

One of the most significant advantages of naloxone training is that it increases access to not only education about the drug and opioid overdose awareness, but also to naloxone kits. As an organizer, your main priority is to either provide access to the kits or point toward areas where people can access kits. If you’re working with a public health agency to provide the training, they will often distribute the naloxone kits themselves. If your trainer doesn’t have them, you can work with either overdose prevention programs or mailing programs that can mail the kits for you for free. For example, NEXT Distro can either mail the drug to you or connect you with a pharmacy that can.

Along with naloxone kits, you should also provide educational materials that participants can use for reference in the future. Within these materials, you should include information about:

• Step-by-step instructions on how to recognize and respond to an overdose.
• Visuals for how to administer naloxone.
• Information about what to do after the administrator gives naloxone.
• Resources for addiction treatment, recovery, and harm reduction in your area.

Many organizations, including the CDC, provide naloxone training templates, including module templates, sample questions, and fact sheets. If you’re using your own presentation, your language should be accessible, nonjudgmental, and multilingual when possible.

Overcoming Participation Fear

During the actual training, you may encounter participants who may be afraid of any legal consequences if they intervene in an overdose situation. Because of this, it’s vital to prepare yourself to assuage participants’ fears by including Good Samaritan law education.

Since each state has different variations on the law, you should do your own research before starting the training. That said, most states’ Good Samaritan laws cover individuals who act in good faith during emergencies, including those who administer naloxone in response to a suspected drug overdose. Providing this information can be crucial to anyone who may be on the fence about administering the drugs themselves. Breaking down this barrier can mean the difference between life and death for someone who is overdosing on opioids.

Step 4 – Plan the Event Logistics

Thoughtful logistics can make the difference between an event that feels empowering and one that feels intimidating or inaccessible. Choosing the right space, arranging chairs, setting the tone — these are all small details, but they can all make your naloxone training welcoming, respectful, and effective for everyone who attends.

Choose a Date, Time, and Location

Start by selecting a date and time that maximizes community participation. Consider polling your audience or reaching out to community partners to find out what time frames work best for your target population. For example, you might find out that evening or weekend sessions are often ideal for working adults, caregivers, and students.

Likewise, your choice of location matters just as much as the timing. It should be:

• Physically accessible with ADA-compliant entrances, ramps, elevators, and restrooms;
• Close to public transportation;
• In a safe and neutral environment such as a library, community center, or school;
• Private to encourage attendance from people who may feel hesitant.

All of these factors ensure the highest number of attendees and can be less intimidating for people who may initially feel uncomfortable attending.

Set Up the Space

When participants walk into your training, the last thing they want is to see a setup that may disrupt engagement. Instead of traditional rows, opt for circle or U-shaped seating to promote discussion and equal participation. Make sure the trainer has a central spot with good visibility for everyone, especially for hands-on demonstrations of naloxone administration.
If space allows, designate a breakout area where small groups can practice responding to a simulated overdose using training kits. This allows for more personalized instruction and encourages participants to build confidence.

Step 5 – Promote the Training

Your training won’t be as successful if no one attends. The best way to prevent this is to put your best effort into marketing the training. The best way to do this is to promote the event in a welcoming way, prioritizing the message that it will benefit everyone — not just those directly impacted by substance use.
You should also use a mix of promotional channels, as varying avenues may target some demographics more than others. This includes:

• Email newsletters;
• Bulletin boards;
• Social media (include sample captions with hashtags like #NaloxoneSavesLives);
• School nurse offices;
• Local news calendars.

When making these materials, save them as templates for future use. If the training proves to be successful, your organization may want to promote it similarly.

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Step 6 – Host the Training

Now comes the most influential step: coordinating the actual training. The first step in ensuring smooth coordination is settling expectations upfront by assigning everyone a role in your staff. Ideally, you should have a:

• Trainer: Leads the session and demonstrates naloxone use
• Greeter: Welcomes attendees, directs them to sign-in tables, and hands out materials
• Tech Support: Manages microphones, projectors, or video streaming
• Kit Distributor: Hands out naloxone kits at the end of the session and explains any follow-up steps

If you’re low on staffing, consider recruiting volunteers from local schools, colleges, or service-learning programs. They can help with some of the minor roles, such as offering light refreshments, running the registration tables, passing out materials, and cleaning up the event. All of these roles can make the event all the more welcoming to everyone there.

Encourage Engagement and Q&A

A good training isn’t just a lecture; it’s an interactive learning experience. To help participants feel comfortable speaking up, consider:

• Starting with an icebreaker question related to community safety.
• Using a small-group breakout format for hands-on practice before reconvening as a full group.
• Providing an anonymous question box (physical or digital) so people can ask sensitive questions without fear of judgment.
• Encouraging the trainer to share real-world examples of successful overdose reversals to reinforce the importance of the presented skills.

By blending structure with an open, supportive atmosphere, you make the training not just informative but empowering. Participants should leave knowing they’re part of a network of people ready to help save lives in their community.

Step 7 – Follow Up and Stay Connected

A naloxone training doesn’t have to be a one-time event; it can be the start of an ongoing community safety effort. Following up after your training keeps the momentum going, strengthens relationships, and shows both your leadership and participants that the event makes a measurable difference.

To show your leadership the impact of the event, you should consider tracking:

• Internal reporting not only documents success but also helps secure continued support for future training. Consider tracking:
• Number of attendees (and how many were first-time participants).
• Number of naloxone kits distributed.
• Feedback from participants (via quick surveys or comment cards).
• Which partner organizations were involved.

Summarize these results in a short report or email update for leadership, staff, and community partners. If leadership approves, you can suggest future events, such as quarterly or semi-annual training, or work with other agencies for co-branded events that could expand your outreach.

Naloxone training can also be the first step in becoming an overdose community resource. For example, you could set up a harm reduction corner in your facility with free kits, fentanyl test strips, and educational materials for anyone to grab year-round. Data-backed updates can help justify future funding, partnerships, and publicity.

Setting up a training may involve a lot of groundwork, but it’s the first step in addressing drug addictions that pervade communities across America. Your effort today could be the reason someone is alive tomorrow.

Resources for Community Naloxone Training:

If you need more information and tools for your naloxone training, use the following resources:

Naloxone Supply and Distribution

• SAMHSA’s Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications (OORM) Resource Guide: Offers information on FDA-approved formulations, legal guidelines, and grant-funded Naloxone access programs across the U.S.
• NEXT Distro: A national mail-based harm reduction service that provides Naloxone directly to individuals and organizations, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Training & Educational Materials

• National Harm Reduction Coalition – Overdose Prevention: Offers printable toolkits, video tutorials, trainer guidelines, and overdose response protocols based on the latest harm reduction science.
• Freeman Recovery Center: Offers education and treatment options that trainers can offer to anyone who needs aftercare recovery after an opioid overdose.
• GetNaloxoneNow.org: Offers interactive online training for bystanders, educators, and first responders, as well as resources to build in-person training sessions.

Legal and Policy Information

• SAFE Project – Good Samaritan Laws by State: Find up-to-date summaries of your state’s protections for those who call 911 or administer Naloxone during an overdose emergency.
• Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System (PDAPS): A research-based legal database from Temple University with detailed maps and summaries of Naloxone access laws nationwide.

Toolkits and Templates for Hosts

• Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services: Offers educational materials and overdose prevention specialists to community organizations hosting naloxone trainings.
• Tennessee Harm Reduction: Offers free naloxone kits to Tennessee residents and organizations through the mail, including intramuscular and intranasal administration kits.