MIAMI COUNTY, Ind. – Miami County residents will soon be able to receive free doses of Narcan, along with training on how to use it, as part of a state initiative to combat the Indiana’s opioid epidemic. Miami County commissioners Monday unanimously approved a measure to allow the county’s health department to give away doses of the drug to anyone who completes state-certified training on how to use it. Antonia Sawyer, chair of the Miami County Systems of Care Governance Coalition, attended the meeting to answer commissioner’s questions and provide information on the program and its role in combating people’s opioid addiction. Sawyer said the goal of the program is to distribute Narcan to anyone who struggles with addiction, while at the same time educating them about resources to help combat their addiction. She added that providing free Narcan would also be beneficial for people legally using pain medication who worry they may accidentally overdose. Commissioners agreed to implement the program on a one-year trial bases and then assess whether their concerns became a reality. Commissioner Larry West volunteered to help oversee the implementation of the program. Sawyer said she anticipated the program will be up and running by the fall. The Miami County health department is now the 23rd county health department to become a Narcan entity through the state. Miami County saw a more than 200 percent increase in opioid and heroin deaths in 2015, when 14 people died from an overdose, compared to six people in 2014, according to data from the state health department.