MONCKS CORNER, S.C. — A new public health initiative aimed at combating overdose deaths is underway in Berkeley County as local agencies begin installing “Naloxboxes” across the community. The boxes contain free doses of naloxone nasal spray, a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
The project is part of a broader effort by the Berkeley County Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) team, a coalition of local agencies working together to study overdose deaths, identify service gaps, and improve response efforts. By promoting equitable access to care and enhancing interagency coordination, the group seeks to save lives and reduce the stigma around carrying naloxone.
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“Our primary goal is to provide the naloxone to give breath, which is hope, to a person actively overdosing,” a news release states. “The secondary goal is to spark important community conversations around substance use disorders.”
This initiative has been made possible through funding from the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Funds (SCORF) and support from key partners including the Ernest E. Kennedy Center. The center initially provided resources to help launch the OFR team and remains a vital collaborator.
Coroner Darnell D. Hartwell, whose office issued the release, has championed the initiative, praising the collaborative efforts of agencies such as Berkeley County EMS, WakeUp Carolina, Favor Lowcountry, the Solicitor’s Office, Drug Court, police departments in Goose Creek and Moncks Corner, the Department of Public Health, and Roper St. Francis.
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The boxes are already appearing across the county and are freely accessible to the public—an important step, organizers say, toward saving lives and reducing the silent toll of overdoses in the region.
