Will County Health Department increases distribution boxes for overdose-reversing Narcan

The Will County Health Department has doubled its number of red distribution boxes for the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone throughout the county.

In what the county health department described as a continued effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths, the agency has increased the number of places people can get free doses of Naloxone – also known as Narcan – from 10 to 20.

Most of the original boxes were located in Joliet and the surrounding communities. The new boxes increase the coverage area of the program outside the city.

“Our strategy is working, and we are seeing results,” said WCHD Program Coordinator for Substance Use Initiatives Dr. Kathleen Burke, who noted that Will County saw a 30% decrease in opioid deaths in 2024.

“We are at the same pace to reduce deaths in 2025,” Burke continued.

Burke added that 20% of the Narcan distributed in the county comes from the red boxes, which were donated by the Illinois-based overdose prevention nonprofit Saved My Life.

When used correctly Narcan can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and block the effects of the drugs. The drug begins working within minutes and can restore breathing and consciousness to an overdosing patient, potentially saving their life.

The goal of the distribution boxes is to make the medication more readily available to the public for emergency use, according to the WCHD news release.

Will County has seen opioid overdose deaths decrease significantly from 112 deaths in 2022 to 64 in 2024. So far in 2025, the WCHD reports there have been 18 opioid deaths through the end of July.

At the same time, the amount of Naloxone distributed in the county has increased significantly.

The WCHD reports that more than 8,000 two-dose boxes were distributed in 2022, while 15,000 boxes were distributed in 2024.

Since the first red boxes were installed in early 2024, about 5,000 boxes have been taken from them.

Narcan was given out during a drive-thru event to kick off the Kane County Health Department’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline awareness campaign on Friday, April 25, 2025 in the parking lot of the Kane County Circuit Clerk in St. Charles. (Sandy Bressner)

“We want the community to understand that many of the utilizers of these distribution boxes are people who are not using opioids, but they want to be able to assist in an emergency situation or perhaps they have a family member or friend who is struggling with a substance use disorder, and they want to be prepared,” said Burke.

Burke has also encouraged students leaving for college to bring Narcan with them to campus.

New locations

The new boxes can be found at the following locations throughout Will County:

Lewis University, 1 University Parkway, Romeoville (bringing the campus’ number of boxes to 3)
Recovery Community Center of Joliet, 180 S. Chicago St., Joliet
University Park Village Hall, 44 Towncenter Drive, University Park
DuPage Township Food Pantry, 719 Parkwood Drive, Romeoville
Wilmington Coalition, 1095 S. Water St., Wilmington
Beecher Police Department, 250 W. Church Road, Beecher
Provision Market Food Pantry, 5430 W. Main St., Monee
Northern Illinois Food Pantry, 171 S. Larkin Ave., Joliet
Frankfort Public Library District, 21119 S. Pfeiffer Road, Frankfort

The original 10 red boxes can be found at:

Will County Health Department Main Office, 501 Ella Ave., Joliet
Will County Community Health Center, 1106 Neal Ave., Joliet
Will County Health Department Northern Branch Office, 323 Quadrangle Dr., Bolingbrook
Will County Court House, 100 W. Jefferson St., Joliet
Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet
Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County, 2400 Glenwood Ave., Suite 110, Joliet
White Oak Library District-Crest Hill, 20670 City Center Blvd., Crest Hill
White Oak Library District-Lockport, 121 E. 8th St., Lockport
White Oak Library District-Romeoville, 201 W. Normantown Road, Romeoville

Narcan is also available through the Illinois Department of Human Services/Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Access Narcan program for free.

Residents interested in obtaining Naloxone can visit one of the red distribution box locations.

The WCHD also offers Naloxone training. For information about training or obtaining Narcan, residents can email sui@willcountyhealth.org.