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Opioid Prevention and Recovery Resources

Four women and two men standing next to each other with their arms around each other's backs.

 Mesa County Public Health provides information about naloxone, as well overdose prevention and treatment. Our agency also helps maintain naloxone kiosks across Mesa County.

What is naloxone?

Naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. 

It attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose.

It has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system, and it is not a treatment for opioid use disorder.

Narcan is the brand name for naloxone.

Image of a white naloxone cannister with a red button to administer.

 

Naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose from these opioids:

  • Heroin
  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone (OxyContin)
  • Methadone
  • Fentanyl
  • Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
  • Codeine
  • Hydromorphone

 

What to do if someone is overdosing?

  • Evaluate the person for signs of an opioid overdose.
  • ​​Administer naloxone and then call 911.
  • Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
  • Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
  • Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.

Naloxone kiosks in Mesa County

Image of white, metal kiosk with a handle at the top of a glass door. It includes a sticker on the side that reads naloxone saves lives.

 

Mesa County Public Health has placed 12 naloxone kiosks throughout the community to provide free and easy access for anyone in need.

In partnership with the Western Colorado Area Health Education Center (WCAHEC), these kiosks are regularly maintained and restocked to ensure availability.

Each kiosk includes naloxone and bilingual instructions to guide you in assisting someone experiencing an overdose. Together, we’re working to save lives and support harm reduction in our community.

Substance use prevention and treatment

Contact Grand Valley Connects if you need help finding resources in Mesa County. Visit the Grand Valley Connects website or call 970-683-2663.

Fentanyl Test Strips

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug. It is about 100 times more potent than morphine.

What are fentanyl test strips?

Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds and forms of drugs. 

They are a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm.

 

How do you use FTS?

  • Put 5-10 mg of the sample into one teaspoon of room temperature water. Only handle the strip from the blue end that has the "FYL" label.
  • Place the wavy end into the sample for 10 to 15 seconds (not above the max line).
  • Let stand for 60 seconds.
  • Read results.

How do you read the results?

Positive Results

  • If held with your right hand, one colored line on the right-hand side means it is positive.

 

Negative Results

  • Two colored lines mean the test is negative.
  • Remember that no test is 100% accurate and your drugs may still contain fentanyl even if you receive a negative result.
  • You should still use caution.

 

Invalid Results

  • If there are no lines or the line on the right fails to appear, it is invalid.
  • If you get an invalid result, test your drugs again using a new strip.