Brooklyn Park church unveils harm reduction station providing free access to drug test strips, Narcan
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Fentanyl overdoses have skyrocketed across the country and in Minnesota, but community organizers are trying to prevent them from happening.
One way is by creating a harm reduction station. It was unveiled Sunday in Brooklyn Park at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.
It provides free access to drug test strips and Narcan nasal spray. The family of a man who died from a fentanyl overdose helped create it.
Church leaders hope the station fulfills a big need in the community.
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"One of my priorities as council is to address the mental health situation from a church position as much as we can and this obviously ties into that," said Mike Isenberg, Council President at the church. "And I saw that and I said that's exactly what we need to do for Mateo's Message."
The collaboration is between the church, SixSpeed and Mateos's Message. The station is also the first to be sponsored by a family.
It's the third harm reduction station in the Twin Cities.