Arkansas ministry recovery center hope to decrease opioid deaths with naloxone in churches
Little Rock (KATV) — A Central Arkansas ministry recovery center is fighting to reduce opioid deaths in the state. The group is called M18 Recovery. The organization’s executive director, Black Polston said one way they hope to lower those deaths would be to distribute doses of naloxone in churches.
According to Polston, their non-profit Christ-centered recovery center takes men and women who are struggling with addiction and teaches them how to live life. He believes they can help those in the church or members who have family or friends with their drug addiction.
“There’s about 40 percent of people that claim to go to church every single Sunday, and another 30 more that are Easter Christians,” Polston said. “We know that there is a massive amount of people out there that are located within the walls of the church that need this live saving medicine.”
Polston told KATV the organization was approved for a $5,000 grant from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership for 120 doses of naloxone. He said they plan to reach out individually to pastors and allow them to decide how the lifesaving drug can be distributed.
