Elko County is on the front lines of a major expansion in public health access. On Saturday, January 31, the county will receive its first two publicly accessible Narcan distribution boxes—a milestone in the local fight against the opioid epidemic.
But this isn’t just about two boxes. It’s about a long-standing disparity in resources between Nevada’s urban hubs and its rural heartland.
A Quiet Crisis in the Rural North
While much of the nation has seen a decline in overdose deaths, Nevada remains a tragic outlier. In 2024, the state reported 1,528 overdose deaths—a 0.5% increase that defies the national trend of recovery. For the rural regions covering the entire top tier of the state, the crisis is amplified by distance and a lack of 24/7 medical infrastructure.
The statistics are eye-opening: Narcan is administered in only 15% of rural Nevada overdoses.
In metropolitan areas like Reno or Las Vegas, drugstores and emergency services are often just blocks away. In Elko County, being “behind the times” on resource sourcing means that even when paramedics arrive, the window for life-saving intervention has often closed.
From “The Problem” to “The Solution”
The arrival of these boxes is driven by NV Support Solutions, a local non-profit led by Brett Badger. For Badger, this mission is deeply personal. An Elko native, Badger’s story is one of radical transformation. After spending 20 years in what he describes as an “aggregate” case history in the prison system, a moment of clarity led him to change his life.
Now “going on eight years” clean, Badger serves as a Certified Trauma-Informed Peer Support Specialist and Recovery Re-Entry Educator. His background allows him to connect with those in crisis in a way traditional therapy sometimes cannot.
“I’m tired of being part of the problem,” Badger told The Elko Brief. “I want to be part of the solution. Shared lived experience is the connection that allows people to talk—to know that I’ve struggled with the same things they have.”
Operating out of the LifeQuest building alongside Sharon Bachman, Badger has collaborated with Kathie Carstairs and Wake Up Nevada to secure these pioneering distribution boxes. The project remains a grassroots, bootstrapped effort, with board members like Melisa Moore personally flying doses from Las Vegas to ensure the North isn’t forgotten.
More Than a Resource: A Living Memorial
Each box is more than a supply point; it is a permanent community memorial. The distribution boxes are dedicated to members of the Elko community whose lives were cut short by the epidemic. The names chosen for these installations highlight the devastating human cost:
- LifeQuest (1515 7th St.): Dedicated to Shanell C Martin and her child, Armani R. Martin-Cooper. Shanell was six months pregnant when she passed from a fentanyl overdose, a tragedy that has left a lasting impact on her family and the local recovery community.
- The Elko Band: A second box, dedicated to the tribal community, honors the memory of Samuel Ray “Sammy” Johnny, a young man whose passing ~2 years ago serves as a call to action for tribal leadership.
By naming these resources after those who were lost, the program aims to remove the “judgment” and stigma associated with seeking help. “This resource goes far beyond just addiction,” Badger explains. “Nobody wants to walk into a probation office and ask for Narcan—it feels like an admission of guilt. We want these resources available judgment-free.”
The Sustainability Challenge
While the first two boxes mark a successful pilot, the challenge of sustainability remains. Currently, there is a “data gap” in how rural overdoses are tracked, and sourcing Narcan for the rural North requires constant coordination with Southern Nevada health districts. Badger notes that while there is a desire for boxes in towns like Wells, Carlin, and Wendover, the current supply chain can only support these first two installations.
“If it was up to me, we would have them everywhere,” Badger says. “But we have to figure out the sourcing first.”
The Dedication
The community is invited to witness the unveiling of these life-saving resources.
- When: Saturday, January 31, 2026.
- Time: 11:00 AM.
- Location: LifeQuest Elko, 1515 7th Street.
The event will bring together the Elko Band Council, local health officials, and the families of those being memorialized.
📌 THE GIST: Elko County receives its first two Narcan distribution boxes on Jan 31, providing critical, anonymous access to life-saving naloxone in a region where only 15% of overdoses currently see its administration.
🔍 THE DETAILS:
- Arrival: Jan 31, 2026, 11:00 AM at LifeQuest.
- Support: Partnership between NV Support Solutions, Wake Up Nevada, and The Elko Band.
- Verified Facts: Brett Badger, project lead, is an Elko native and peer specialist with 20 years of lived experience in the justice system. The boxes honor the memory of Shanell C Martin, Armani R. Martin-Cooper, and Sammy Johnny.
THE SPARK: Is public access the key to saving lives in rural Nevada? Join the conversation → fb.com/groups/640606729076974