Free Narcan From the Council on Chemical Abuse in Berks County
The Council on Chemical Abuse, also called COCA, provides NARCAN nasal spray at no cost to Berks County residents, businesses and organizations. Narcan is a brand name for naloxone, a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid drug such as prescription pain medication or heroin. When administered during an overdose, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and restores breathing within two to eight minutes. It has only one function, to reverse the effects of opioids on the brain and respiratory system in order to prevent death, and it will not reverse an overdose that is not opioid related.
You must live or work in Berks County, PA to receive Narcan from COCA. Requests from out of county will not be filled. If you are not from Berks County, mail-based naloxone services are available to all Pennsylvania residents through nextdistro.org/pennsylvania.
Due to funding constraints, COCA is not offering complete kits at this time. All requesters receive a box containing two doses of NARCAN. One box is sent per request; if you have special circumstances and need more than one, the request form asks you to give your reasons and the number needed. The nasal spray device contains a single 4 mg dose of naloxone hydrochloride and requires no assembly, so no specialized training is required to administer the dose.
There are two ways to get it:
- Have NARCAN mailed to you by filling out the Narcan Request Form at cocaberks.org/program/free-narcan-kit. The form asks for your name, email, phone and address, and asks you to confirm that you live or work in Berks County.
- Pick up in person at one of these locations between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday: Council on Chemical Abuse, 50 N. 5th St., Fifth Floor, Reading, (610) 376-8669; or Berks RISE Center, 702 N. 8th Street, Reading, (610) 750-7550. Please call first to insure availability.
A Spanish version of the request information is posted at cocaberks.org/en-espanol/obtenga-un-kit-de-narcan-gratuito-departe-de-coca/.
COCA strongly recommends completing one of the online Narcan trainings. Get Naloxone Now, at getnaloxonenow.org, is an interactive training, and certifications are free with a Berks County zip code. If you do not have a computer, you can use a computer at the RISE Center. COCA also provides free education and training to Berks County residents and organizations and will come to your business at no cost to provide training and distribute kits. Use the contact form at cocaberks.org/contact-us to request a training.
Check the expiration date. Narcan has a shelf life of 24-36 months. Store it below 77 degrees Fahrenheit, do not keep it in a vehicle for extended periods, and request a new box before yours expires by filling out the same request form.
If you have used a Narcan kit provided by COCA, fill out the Narcan Utilization report at cocaberks.org/narcan-utilization-report.
Under the Pennsylvania Good Samaritan provision of Act 139, friends, loved ones and bystanders are encouraged to call 911 for emergency medical services when an overdose is witnessed, and to stay with the person until help arrives. The provision offers certain criminal and civil protections to the caller, and you are immune from liability for giving naloxone if you believed the person was suffering from an opioid overdose and you called for medical help after giving the medication.
The Council on Chemical Abuse office is at 50 N. 5th Street, 5th Floor, Reading, PA 19601. Its general number is (610) 376-8669.
Source: cocaberks.org/program/overdose-education-narcan-distribution, read September 18, 2026.
The details
In Council on Chemical Abuse’s words
COCA provides NARCAN® nasal spray, to all Berks County, PA residents, businesses and organizations at no cost. Please note: Due to funding constraints we are not offering kits at this time. All requesters will receive a box containing two doses of NARCAN.
Other sites
- Berks RISE Center, 702 N. 8th Street, Reading. between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
En español: la página del proveedor →
Organization
Council on Chemical Abuse
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from cocaberks.org/program/overdose-education-narcan-distribution. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.