A Lasting Legacy: Celebrating Five Years of Project FREEDOM

After five years of providing free naloxone, opioid overdose prevention training, and education to first responders, healthcare professionals, and communities across Alabama, the Project FREEDOM grant will officially conclude on August 31, 2026.

Even though the grant is coming to an end, its impact will continue to be felt for years to come. Thanks to the dedication of our partners and participants, Project FREEDOM has helped strengthen overdose prevention efforts, expand access to life-saving resources, and equip thousands of Alabamians with the knowledge and tools needed to respond to an opioid overdose.

Before the grant concludes, the Project FREEDOM team will continue traveling across Alabama to provide training, distribute opioid overdose reversal medication (OORM), and connect with communities. This month, we’ll be attending the Alabama Fire Chiefs Conference in Perdido, educating families at a back-to-school events, participating in outreach efforts, and attending the quarterly Association of Alabama Rescue Squads meeting in Tuscaloosa.

As one first responder recently told us, “Y’all are all over the state doing great work.” We couldn’t ask for a better reflection of the passion and commitment our team has brought to communities across Alabama.

Five Years of Impact

When Project FREEDOM began, our five-year goals were to:

Train 3,900 first responders in opioid overdose prevention.
Distribute 5,000 naloxone kits to first responders across Alabama.

By the conclusion of the grant, Project FREEDOM will have:

Trained 17,215 first responders in opioid overdose prevention and Mental Health First Aid.
Distributed 17,800 naloxone kits to first responders throughout Alabama.

These accomplishments would not have been possible without the partnerships and support of agencies, organizations, and communities across the state.

What Our Partners Are Saying

“Project FREEDOM and VitAL have had a significant impact on the state through your efforts to distribute Narcan.”- David Russell, Executive Director, Alabama Fire College

“If not for the training we received from Project FREEDOM and this source of Narcan, I don’t know what we would do. It has been a blessing for us and the people in our community. Once again, thank you to Project FREEDOM for all you have done for us.” – Chief Steve Hood, Hackleburg Fire & Rescue

“Project FREEDOM’s commitment to expanding access to this life-saving medication demonstrates both foresight and compassion. By ensuring that officers in the Lincoln Police Department are properly equipped and prepared to respond to overdoses, this program directly strengthens community safety and public health outcomes.” – Captain Demarco Willis, Lincoln Police Department

Continuing Access to Free Naloxone

Although Project FREEDOM is ending, access to free naloxone and opioid overdose prevention resources will continue.

Beginning September 1, first responders and community members can continue requesting free naloxone on the VitAL website (VitALalabama.com). The website will continue to provide up-to-date opioid prevention information, naloxone administration training, and behavioral health resources.

Thank you to every first responder, healthcare professional, community partner, and advocate who helped make Project FREEDOM a success. Together, we have strengthened Alabama’s response to the opioid crisis and helped save lives across our state.