BELOIT, WI – Thanks to the collaboration of several agencies and a $50,000 grant from the state’s Opioid Settlement Funds, Beloit now has access to free NARCAN® and fentanyl test strips via a vending machine located at Beloit Public Library.
Installed today, this is Rock County’s second such machine; the first was installed at the Rock County Jail in December.
This effort is the result of collaboration between Rock County Public Health Department, Vivent Health, and Beloit Public Library and is intended to help the community navigate an increase in deaths due to drug overdoses. Since January 1 of this year, there have been a total of 19 suspected fatal overdoses recorded in Rock County – 12 of them in Beloit. The number of non-fatal overdoses in the county during that same time is 129.
“Overdose deaths are preventable,” stated Katrina Harwood, Health Officer for Rock County. “Each overdose death leaves a lasting impact on family members, friends, and communities. We are grateful for the partnership with Beloit Public Library and Vivent Health to increase access to live-saving resources in Rock County.”
NARCAN®, a name-brand version of naloxone, is the only medicine on the market that can reverse an opioid overdose. Especially in its nasal form, NARCAN® is easy and safe to use. It can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. There is no harm if NARCAN® is administered to someone who isn’t overdosing.
To access the NARCAN® and test strips from the machine, a person simply types in the code next to an item, and the item drops down in the tray below. No money is required, nor is the input of any identifying information. Instructions for administration of the antidote are available both in an easy-to-read graphic and in a two-minute video accessible through a QR code. Spanish instructions are available in addition to English.
Users of the machine can choose whether to participate in an anonymous, 30-second survey that will help provide additional feedback regarding the process and the service.
“This Narcan vending machine will be an important harm reduction tool in Beloit,” said Brooke McKearn, prevention specialist at Vivent Health. “I am proud to be a part of this process coming to life.”
Until now, the Beloit community did not have easy access to these products. Obtaining it required a prescription and/or an appointment. With the number of overdoses escalating, residents needed quick and easy access to NARCAN® in an easily accessible location. Beloit Public Library volunteered to be that location.
Centrally located in the City of Beloit on a public bus route, the library is handicap-accessible and open 62 hours each week. It is a judge-free zone where anyone and everyone is welcomed. Roughly 475 visitors enter each day from a variety of ideologies, backgrounds, socioeconomics, ethnicities, religions, professions, family structures, and more.
The vending machine will be located inside the library’s gallery near the front of the building and will be accessible any time the library is open: 9:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5:300 p.m. Friday through Saturday. On weekdays, the front doors are unlocked early at 7:00 a.m. to provide access to the bathrooms, Blender Café, and gallery where the vending machine will be located.
Anyone who has a loved one who uses opioids is encouraged to have these products on hand in case of an accidental overdose. For more information about the NARCAN® vending machine, see our FAQs. For help and treatment for addictions, contact the Wisconsin Addiction Recovery Helpline, a statewide resource for finding treatment services and recovery supports. It is a free service that is available 24/7. Call 211 or 833-944-4673.
Free NARCAN® Vending Machine FAQs
Beloit Public Library (BPL) is collaborating with the Rock County Public Health Department (RCPHD) and Vivent Health to be the host site of the City of Beloit’s first NARCAN® vending machine that dispenses free NARCAN® Nasal Spray and fentanyl test strips. The following FAQs are answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding this new initiative.
What organizations are involved?
Beloit’s first NARCAN® vending machine is the result of a collaboration between Beloit Public Library, Rock County Public Health Department, and Vivent Health.
What is NARCAN®?
NARCAN® is a potentially lifesaving medication designed to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes. It can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. Examples of opioids include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, and morphine. It is easy to use, and has been safely used on toddlers, dogs, and elderly patients who have accidentally ingested too much pain medicine.
Is this the first NARCAN® vending machine to come to the area?
This is Rock County’s second such machine; the first was installed at the Rock County Jail in December of 2022.
What will be available in the machine?
NARCAN® Nasal Spray and fentanyl test strips will be available from the machine with instructions in both English and Spanish.
How does the vending machine work?
A person types in the code next to an item, and the item drops down in the tray below. No money is required, nor is the input of any identifying information. All products include directions for use in English, and a select number of items that are appropriately marked will also include directions for use in Spanish. Users will have the option choose to participate in an anonymous, 30-second survey that will help provide additional feedback regarding the process and the service.
Why does Beloit Need a NARCAN® Vending Machine?
Since January 1 of this year, a total of 19 suspected fatal overdoses were recorded in Rock County – 12 of them in Beloit. The number of non-fatal overdoses in the county during that same time was 129. These above-normal rates indicate there may be very strong opioids or other drugs mixed in the local drug supply. With the numbers of overdoses escalating, Beloit residents need quick and easy access to NARCAN® in an easily accessible location. Previously, obtaining NARCAN® required a prescription and/or an appointment.
Who is the target audience of the NARCAN® vending machine?
Since most opioid overdoses occur in the home and are most often witnessed, having a NARCAN® rescue kit nearby can make all the difference. The NARCAN® nasal spray and fentanyl test strips are for the family and friends of those who take opioids or prescription opioids, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone for pain. These tools are good to have on hand for a possible life-threatening opioid overdose emergency.
Who is paying for this machine and the supply of NARCAN®?
It is funded by a $50,000 grant from the state’s Opioid Settlement Funds received from the National Prescription Opiate Litigation. These funds paid for the machine, as well as NARCAN® Nasal Spray and fentanyl test strips to stock the machine. Vivent Health has stepped up to stock the machine when supplies run out.
Where will the NARCAN® vending machine be located?
The vending machine will be located inside Beloit Public Library’s gallery near the front of the building and will be accessible any time the library is open: 9:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday. On weekdays, the front doors are unlocked early at 7:00 a.m. to provide access to the bathrooms, Blender Café, and gallery where the vending machine will be located.
Why is this machine being located at Beloit Public Library?
Beloit Public Library is open 62 hours per week, centrally located in the City of Beloit on a public bus route, and handicap accessible. As a public library, it is a judge-free zone where anyone and everyone is welcomed. Roughly 475 visitors enter each day (post-covid) from a variety of ideologies, backgrounds, socioeconomics, ethnicities, religions, professions, family structures, and more.
Does this mean a lot of people use drugs at the library?
The location of the vending machine has nothing to do with the activity that occurs at the library … but everything to do with libraries being places to access resources. NARCAN® and fentanyl test strips are provided in this machine and this location so residents can get the supplies they need to have on hand at the places where they live, work, and spend their leisure time – not necessarily for the use of patrons while at the library.
Why are there so many overdoses lately?
Illicit fentanyl is being laced into street drugs, and it only takes 2 MG of it to kill someone who has never used an opioid before. If a drug is not purchased through a pharmacy, there is a 98% chance it has fentanyl in it.
How do you administer NARCAN®?
Administering NARCAN® Nasal Spray is easy. The vending machine will have graphics and signage to display the process, as well as a QR code that links to a short, two-minute training video that shows not only how to administer NARCAN® but also how to recognize the signs of an overdose.
1. PEEL: Peel back the package to remove the device. Place your first and middle fingers on either side of the nozzle.
2. PLACE: Place and hold the tip of the nozzle in either nostril until your fingers touch the
bottom of the patient’s nose.
3. PRESS: Press the red plunger firmly to release the dose into the patient’s nose.
Once the person has restored consciousness, please seek emergency medical treatment.
How do I know if someone is overdosing?
During an overdose, a person’s breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death. It’s important to recognize the signs and act fast, even before emergency workers arrive. If you think that someone is overdosing, give them naloxone. Its use will not harm a person who has not taken an opioid medicine. Signs of an overdose may include:
• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
• Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
• Limp body
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Cold and/or clammy skin
• Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)
What if I administer NARCAN® to someone who it turns out wasn’t actually overdosing?
You can’t give too much NARCAN®, and there is no harm if it is given if someone isn’t overdosing.
Won’t people steal the NARCAN® and get high from it?
All items in the machine will be available free of charge – and also are available for free from other local agencies. NARCAN® does not give a high; it removes a high.
Why is NARCAN® free and other life-saving drugs like insulin aren’t?
NARCAN® is NOT free; a box typically costs $50-$75. However, non-profit organizations such as Vivent Health make it their mission to help the community through the distribution of free NARCAN®.
What are fentanyl test strips?
Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in different kinds of drugs and drug forms.
How will we gauge success of this initiative?
Putting life-saving opioid antagonist in the hands of our community is a success in and of itself. Use will be measured by the number of boxes that are taken. Each person who takes NARCAN® or fentanyl test strips can choose whether or not to participate in an anonymous, 30-second survey that will help provide additional feedback regarding the process and the service.
Why are the organizations working together on this initiative?
The fentanyl crisis is large and will require a great deal of state and federal resources to turn around. While we can’t easily solve the fentanyl crisis, what we can do is educate our community and provide residents with the tools they need to keep their loved ones safe from harm – if and when crisis hits close to home. We are not going to win the war on drugs, but we can recognize an overdose and possibly save lives with NARCAN®.
Where can I get help for my addiction?
For help and treatment for addictions, contact the Wisconsin Addiction Recovery Helpline, a statewide resource for finding treatment services and recovery supports. It is a free service that is available 24/7. Call 211 or 833-944-4673.