Submitted Photo Alison Epsin, Public Health Nurse at Chautauqua County Health Department, will lead a free Narcan training at the Mental Health Association at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 20. The Mental Health Association is located at 31 Water Street, Door 14, in the rear of the Gateway Center.

JAMESTOWN — Narcan can save a life. It has saved dozens of lives in Chautauqua County.

Narcan, the brand name for naloxone, is a medication that can be administered as a nasal spray by first responders or friends and family to someone who is experiencing an opiate or heroin overdose.

Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services and the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County (MHA) are presenting a Narcan training at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 20.

Alison Epsin, Public Health Nurse at Chautauqua County Health Department, will be doing the training. The free session is open to the public, and participants will be given a free NARCAN Reversal Kit.

The Mental Health Association is located at 31 Water St., Door 14, in the rear of the Gateway Center. Registration is not required but is appreciated. For information or to register call 661-9044.

Participating in the training will be the cast of Least Resistance, a new play about addiction and recovery that features stories of people in Jamestown, and some Jamestown Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program students.

The students are using the Narcan training to further their awareness of chemical dependency and mental health treatment.

The cast of Least Resistance want to help bring awareness to the resources in our community to fight opiate overdose and be prepared themselves to help people. Performances of the play, written and compiled by Richard Olson-Walter and directed by Steven M. Cobb, are at 7:30 p.m. on April 28 and 29 and May 5 and 6. Reservations for the free tickets can be made at leastresistance.org. Donations will be accepted to help support the recovery community in Jamestown.

The MHA is staffed by certified peer specialists that provide recovery coaching. They work in collaboration with local treatment providers, other non-profits, and especially the Jamestown City Treatment Court to help participants be successful in attaining their goals.

The MHA is open Monday-Saturday. In an accepting environment, the MHA provides recovery coaching by certified peer specialists as well as more than two dozen peer support groups and classes. Focuses for the various groups include Self Help, Recovery, Mindfulness, Veterans, Learning to Live Again, PTSD, Parenting, and more. There is no charge for any of the MHA’s services or programs.

To learn more about the MHA and its many programs, call 661-9044 or visit www.mhachautauqua.org or www.facebook.com/MHAChautauqua. A list of support groups and classes is at www.mhachautauqua.org/services.

Anyone with questions or in need of services for themselves or a family member is welcome to call or stop in. Hours are Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.