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A grant that was initially meant to establish one more free Narcan vending machine will now support eight machines around Lawrence, and the first three were installed this week.
Lawrence’s Homeless Solutions Division received $200,000 in grant funding from Kansas Fights Addiction to set up one Narcan vending machine. A partnership with Schmidt Vending allowed the city to repurpose used machines rather than purchasing brand new, meaning the money will stretch to cover eight machines.
Narcan or naloxone, the FDA-approved, over-the-counter nasal treatment, blocks the effects of opiates on the brain and restores breathing. It’s effective against all opiates and opioids — heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, and similar prescription and street drugs — although some overdoses may take multiple doses to reverse.
In addition to machines, the grant will fund the naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips, trauma-informed care training and more contracted staff, according to a city news release.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment identified 33 opioid overdoses in eastern Kansas between March 9 and May 5. According to the Kansas Reflector, “Douglas County accounted for a majority of emergency department visits in the area, double what would be expected in a two-month timeframe.”
Increasing access to Narcan can help protect those experiencing substance use disorders while also addressing chronic homelessness in the area.
The city and county’s joint housing and homelessness strategic plan said that “Data also indicated a high incidence rate of mental health and substance use issues within the population (of unhoused people).”
“With these machines, we’re increasing access to a vital, life-saving resource,” Misty Bosch-Hastings, the city’s director of homeless solutions, said in the release. “This project is a great example of community collaboration and innovation — with many partner organizations coming together in an effort to save more lives.”
Find a free Narcan vending machine
Here are the locations of the first three vending machines sponsored by the Homeless Solutions Division:
Lawrence Community Shelter, 3655 E. 25th St.
Homeless Resource Center, 944 Kentucky St.
Heartland Community Health Center, 1312 W. Sixth St.
DCCCA has a Narcan vending machine located outside the Lawrence Transit Central Station, 2315 Bob Billings Parkway. Naloxone nasal sprays are free with the entry of a zip code.
People can request Narcan at the Lawrence Public Library ask desk.
Kansas residents and organizations can also request a free Narcan kit from DCCCA and learn about how it works at this link. Kits come with a wallet-sized card that provides instructions on how to use them.
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Get mental health help in Lawrence
These resources are available 24/7 if you or someone you know needs immediate mental health help:
• Douglas County Treatment and Recovery Center: 785-843-9192; 1000 W. Second St. in Lawrence; trcdgks.org
• Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center: 785-843-9192; bertnash.org
• HeadQuarters Kansas: 785-841-2345; hqkansas.org
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988; veterans, press 1
• SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator and Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
More coverage of housing and homelessness:
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
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