Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has partnered with Emily's Hope to place a naloxone box at the Prairie Lakes Emergency Entrance, accessible to the public 24/7. Naloxone is a life-saving medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, including overdose related to heroin, fentanyl, or prescription opioid medications. Naloxone is quick, easy to use, and safe. The full press release from Emily's Hope is below:
WATERTOWN, S.D. — May 22, 2025 – In response to an increase in suspected fentanyl-related overdoses, Emily’s Hope is expanding its free naloxone distribution program to Watertown. Two new naloxone boxes—accessible 24/7—have been installed at Prairie Lakes Hospital and the Watertown Regional Library to ensure community members can quickly access the life-saving medication in an emergency.
The expansion comes just weeks after Watertown police responded to two near-fatal overdoses involving what is believed to be powder fentanyl. In one case, officers performed CPR and administered naloxone to revive an unresponsive adult male. In another case, a person was found unconscious in a public restroom and later regained consciousness.
Watertown Police Chief Tim Toomey, along with leadership from Prairie Lakes Heathcare System, has been instrumental in coordinating this effort.
“This donation from Emily’s Hope is about one thing: saving lives. By making naloxone more accessible to the public, we are giving our community the power to act in a critical moment and potentially prevent a tragedy, Toomey said. “We are sincerely grateful for the donation of the naloxone boxes and for all the work that Emily’s Hope is doing for South Dakota”
The Emergency Department Director for Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, Monica Everson, said, “Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is grateful for the opportunity to work with Emily’s Hope to install a naloxone distribution box on our hospital campus. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to saving lives and addressing the opioid crisis with compassion and action. Together, we’re making vital resources more accessible to those who need it most. Every dose distributed is a step toward a more proactive, informed, and prepared community.”
Emily’s Hope has now distributed 10,000 naloxone doses across South Dakota through partnerships with healthcare systems, libraries, and law enforcement. The distribution boxes are stocked monthly with kits that include two doses of naloxone, gloves, and information on treatment and recovery resources.
“We know that fast access to naloxone can mean the difference between life and death,” said Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope. “With overdose deaths continuing to rise in our state, it’s critical that communities like Watertown are equipped to respond immediately.”
The anonymous naloxone distribution program is a partnership between Emily’s Hope, the Attorney General’s Office, the South Dakota Department of Social Services, and the South Dakota Department of Health. Secretary of Health, Melissa Magstadt, a Watertown resident, is an advocate for the program.
“The Department of Health is grateful for this partnership with Emily’s Hope in saving the lives of South Dakotans. This innovative partnership is gaining the interest of national organizations as a potential key to changing the trajectory of opioid overdose, and we look forward to continuing this project to keep saving a life one box of Naloxone at a time,” Magstadt said.
Community members are urged to carry naloxone, especially if they know someone at risk of opioid overdose. If you come across a suspicious substance, authorities caution not to touch or move it, and to call 911 immediately.
“I am truly grateful to Emily’s Hope for providing life-saving Naloxone to Codington County. In my previous career as a member of the Codington County Treatment Court team, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that substance use can have on individuals and their families,” Angie Collignon, the Substance Use and Justice Programs Coordinator for Codington County, said. “Because of Emily’s Hope, more families are spared the heartbreak of losing a loved one, and more individuals are given the opportunity to find recovery and hope.”
To learn more about naloxone access or how to support Emily’s Hope’s life-saving efforts, visit: https://emilyshope.charity/find-narcan/