A state grant has paid for nearly 200 opiate overdose antidote kits for use in Butler County.

The county commissioners in June applied for a $10,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant is a project of the county criminal justice advisory board, the sheriff and the district attorney.

The grant paid for about 180 kits of Naloxone, which sometimes is known by its brand name Narcan. The county bought half now and will buy the other half later, since the drug has an expiration date.

By the end of December, the county received its kits and trained officers from participating police departments.

“All the kits are distributed now,” said Sheriff Mike Slupe.

Slupe said all police departments in the county are participating except Buffalo Township, Portersville, Prospect and Zelienople.

He said that the goal of the program is to keep more people from dying of drug overdoses.

“We’re trying to save lives,” Slupe said.

Former Gov. Tom Corbett in September 2014 signed into law Act 139, which allows emergency first responders, including firefighters, police and EMTs, to administer the drug. Before that, only trained paramedics could give it.