Narcan is now available for free in vending machines across Hidalgo County; no prescription needed.

Five new vending machines stocked with naloxone were unveiled inside county buildings in Edinburg, McAllen, Weslaco and Elsa.

Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez said the medication works by blocking the body's ability to absorb narcotics.

"Whether you do it by mistake, whether you're a child who got into the wrong area, whether you're a geriatric person who forgot they took their pain pill and they take it again, or whether you're a habitual drug user, regardless of what the cause is, blocking the absorption of this drug is key," Dr. Melendez said.

People can receive up to two units per week at the machines.

"We're hoping that people act in a responsible way, that they say, ‘I or someone in my family is in that high-risk group, and I know there's a resource we can come and obtain in a hassle-free, financial-free, and non-judgmental way, an antidote that otherwise I might not get,’" Dr. Melendez said.

Megan Rubio with Behavioral Health Solutions said the goal is to get naloxone into the hands of more people before an emergency happens.

Behavioral Health Solutions offers free training on how to recognize and respond to an overdose. The trainings reach first responders, school districts, law enforcement, and members of the community.

Rubio said her team has trained more than 7,000 people this year, up from about 2,000 last year.

"So part of our trainings is we educate, we do overdose education, and we talk about a lot of the common trends that are happening here in the Rio Grande Valley," Rubio said. "We do parent-teacher, you know, meetings. We do migrant meetings. There we've also gone like with teen courts, a lot of the parents just to get this education."

Rubio wants people to know naloxone is a treatment, not a solution, and encourages anyone dealing with addiction to seek help.

"We have recovery coaches; someone who's been using substances may need to talk to someone," Rubio said. "We offer counseling for youth and adults as well. We have over 20 programs in here at Behavioral Health Solutions."

Watch the video above for the full story.