INDIANAPOLIS — On Friday morning, a number of Indianapolis organizations came together to help reduce the number of overdose deaths in the 46201 zip code.
According to the Marion County Coroner’s Office, there were 383 overdose deaths in Marion County from January to September 2024. Of those overdose deaths, 44 of them, or 11%, were in the 46201 zip code.
"We see health disparities in this neighborhood," said Madison Weintraut with the Marion County Public Health Department. "Your zip code really affects your health when you look at the life expectancy."
MCPHD, along with Damien Center, Overdose Lifeline, and Step Up, Inc., put together bags for residents in that area. They included information on overdose prevention and response, local resources for treatment, and Narcan. Volunteers then went door-to-door.
"There’s a really strong argument that the best people to respond to overdoses are the people that use drugs, so putting Narcan directly into their hands is really going to have the biggest impact in terms of reducing the likelihood that someone would pass away," said Weintraut.
The goal was to knock on 1,500 doors.
