The Le Bonheur Opioid Safety Program was created to help Tennessee families navigate pain management safely with clear education, practical tools and ongoing support. For patients admitted for same-day surgery, families are greeted by a Community Health Worker (CHW) who provides opioid safety education, answers questions and shares resources to support safe use, storage and disposal from the start of care. Our program is only for Tennessee residents at this time.
By reinforcing opioid safety education before and after discharge, offering safe disposal options and providing follow-up care in the community, this program helps reduce preventable harm and supports safer healing at home.
Prescription opioids are commonly used to manage pain after surgery or injury, but when they are not used, stored or disposed of safely, they can create serious risks for children, families and communities. Unused or unsecured opioids in the home increase the likelihood of accidental poisoning, misuse, overdose and diversion.
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the following:
- Prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine.
- Heroin.
- Synthetic fentanyl is a drug that, in certain doses, is more potent than morphine.
Source: Opioids
For Tennessee Residents:
The Tennessee REDLINE (1-800-889-9789) is a service that provides addiction information and referrals to Tennessee residents at their request. The service is provided by the Tennessee Association for Alcohol, Drug and other Addiction Services through a contract with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Source: Opioids
For Arkansas Residents:
- Arkansas Department of Human Services: Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health - Arkansas Department of Human Services
- Arkansas Crisis Center: Arkansas Crisis Center
For Mississippi Residents:
MS Department of Mental Health: Alcohol and Drug Services – Mississippi Department of Mental Health
The most common method of opioid diversion is through family and friends. Unused and unwanted prescription drugs, when left in cabinets and drawers in your home, are at risk of being used or stolen. Prescription drug take-back boxes are located throughout the state to make the disposal of those medications convenient and easy.
For Tennessee Residents:
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has 2 locations:
- Le Bonheur Outpatient Pharmacy- 51 N Dunlap St Memphis TN 38105
- Methodist University Hospital Outpatient Tower Pharmacy- 1265 Union Ave Memphis TN 38104
Check out this map to find a location near you: https://tdeconline.tn.gov/rxtakeback/ or Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility
For Arkansas Residents:
Drug Take Back Location for Arkansas: Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility
For Mississippi Residents:
Drug Take Back Location for Mississippi: Year-Round Drop-Off Locations - Search Utility
For Tennessee Residents:
The Shelby County Health Department offers free harm reduction kits to support opioid overdose prevention in our community. They have a vending machine at 6592 Kirby Center Cove that provides free Narcan and fentanyl test strips. Learn more at: https://www.shelbytnhealth.com/377/Opioid-Overdose-Prevention
For Arkansas Residents:
Arkansas provides a map of every agency that provides naloxone. Learn more at: https://narcansas.com/narcan-agencies/
For Mississippi Residents:
Request a Naloxone Kit for MS residents: Make Mississippi OD FREE - ODFree.org - Mississippi Overdose Data, Prevention & Treatment
How to Dispose of Pills, Liquids, Creams and Films with Deterra - DeterraSystem.com
Other Resource Information:
- Poison Control Help Center: 1-800-889-1222
- Suicide Hotline: Call 988 or Text 988 to immediately connect with a trained, confidential crisis
Vea este video para aprender a desechar correctamente los medicamentos:
