The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) last week announced a donation of $3,000 and 4,000 safe disposal kits to help individuals and families who are battling addiction and are in need of tools to help combat opioid abuse.

RALI, an organization dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic throughout Arizona and across the country, partnered with the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona to bring these disposal kits to the families in the area.

Those interested can request a free safe drug disposal kit by filling out the Free Harm Reduction Tools request form biaaz.org or by emailing info@BIAAZ.org. If you need any other information or resources after brain injury, visit biaaz.org or call 888-500-9165.

“As we continue to fight COVID-19, RALI and local partners are also continuing their fight against the opioid crisis and that starts with the proper disposal of prescription medicines as a critical preventative step,” reads a press release from RALI.

The bags will be used in harm reduction kits by the Brain Injury Alliance. The Brain Alliance is in its second year of a State Opioid Response project designed to address addiction in the disability community statewide.

“The pandemic has made fighting the opioid crisis in Arizona that much harder,” said Senator Mark Kelly. “It’s important that these resources are available to keep our friends and loved ones safe. I encourage everyone to take the steps to safely dispose of their unused prescription medications.”

According to Liz Bradley, a family and recovery support specialist with the Brain Injury Alliance, these kits can be used to deactivate and dispose of unused medications safely, which lowers the risk of misuse, addiction and overdose.

“We know that many people, including about 70 percent of traumatic brain injury survivors, are discharged from the E.R. with an opioid prescription for pain,” Bradley said. “Opioids are highly addictive and it can be very easy to build up a tolerance and take more than prescribed. We also want to protect others in the home, like children, teens and people who struggle with substance misuse. We are pleased to be adding these disposal kits to our list of available resources, along with medication lock boxes and Naloxone opioid overdose reversal kits. Together with education, we can use these tools to prevent future brain injuries and deaths caused by opioid overdose.”

Funds received through this grant will be used to spread word to the community about the use and availability of these free kits, and to cover the cost of shipping these harm reduction tools to the people who need them.