Pharmacists and emergency physicians at Huntington Health trained more than 3,400 people to recognize and reverse opioid overdoses between 2021 and 2024, distributing 517 free naloxone kits across Pasadena, Altadena, and the broader San Gabriel Valley.

The results, published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy on March 24, 2026, show that moving the program out of the emergency room and into schools, libraries, and community centers boosted kit distribution by 84%.

The study comes as fentanyl deaths across Los Angeles County have dropped sharply after years of crisis-level increases.

Two phases, one goal

Huntington's opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution program, called OEND, ran in two phases, according to the hospital.

In the first, emergency department staff identified patients at high risk of overdose and sent them home with a free naloxone kit and training. That phase distributed 281 kits.

In the second, the team fanned out to schools, three Pasadena branch libraries, the Altadena Library on East Mariposa Avenue, community centers, and farmers markets. They handed out 236 more kits to students, parents, educators, public safety workers, hospital staff, and residents. In all, 3,466 people received training.

"Naloxone education is a powerful form of community empowerment," Samuel Beckerman, an emergency physician at Huntington Hospital and a study co-author, said in the hospital's July 27 announcement.

The curriculum covered overdose recognition, naloxone administration, and when to call 911. Trainers adjusted the material for each audience but kept the core message the same.

County overdose deaths falling

The study's publication lands during a sustained countywide decline in overdose fatalities. Between 2016 and 2022, fentanyl-related deaths in LA County rose 1,652%, climbing from 109 to 1,910. Since then, the trend has reversed.

Fentanyl deaths fell 37% in 2024 to 1,267, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. All drug-related overdose deaths dropped 22% that year to 2,442. The decline continued in 2025, with fentanyl deaths falling another 10% to 1,135.

LA County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer credited naloxone access and community outreach for the improvement. "Three consecutive years of fewer overdose deaths in LA County is proof that sustained investments in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services saves lives," Ferrer said in a June 25 statement accompanying the county's annual overdose report, as reported by the LA Times.

Why it matters locally

Huntington Health operates the San Gabriel Valley's only Level II trauma center. The hospital, a Cedars-Sinai affiliate, is a primary destination for overdose patients across the region.

Naloxone is more than 90% effective when administered promptly and can be given by bystanders, not just first responders, the study states. Ten clinicians co-authored the paper, including pharmacists, emergency physicians, and community outreach nurses.

The researchers concluded the program is low-risk, scalable, and adaptable to different community settings. The hospital has not announced future distribution events or plans to expand the program.