By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board is taking a big step to assist in the fight against opioid overdoses in the county.
The board plans to install three Narcan vending machines in the county thanks to receipt of a State Opioid and Stimulant Response grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The state received $97 million in federal funding in September 2022 to support local community efforts to prevent youth and adult drug and alcohol use, reduce overdose deaths, and increase access to addiction treatment and recovery services.
“We applied for the state grant last November and this is one of the projects we were approved for full funding as of February,” said Aimee Coe, interim executive director of the county board, during the board’s program and outcome committee meeting Monday night (3/13).
The vending machines, expected to be installed by August, will dispense free units of Narcan, the nasal medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. Each box will include two doses, and each machine will hold a maximum of 216 units.
The Wood County Health Department is the first confirmed site in the county. The Wood County Board of Health in September agreed to have one of the machines installed at its 1840 East Gypsy Lane building in Bowling Green. Two other sites are in the process of being established, potentially one each in the southern and northern parts of the county.
The businesses or organizations that agree to have a vending machine installed at their site, will be responsible for providing a location with a concrete pad and access to electricity for the required refrigeration. All the machines will be located outside, under a roof and with 24/7 access.
Coe explained the process to acquire access to the Narcan in the machines, is not finalized, but will likely require family members, caregivers or individuals to call a number during regular business hours and answer a few questions before they are given a four-digit code for the machines. The caller will be allowed to dispense a specific quantity of Narcan over a given time period. The quantity and timeline allotted will depend on the specifics of each request. The questions that are asked are for demographics, no names or identities will be required.
The vending machines are intended for planned use, not emergency use, Coe pointed out. Emergency situations should call 911.
After the company Areawide Electronics & Refrigeration installs the machines this summer, WCADAMHS staff will handle the process from taking the phone calls to filling and refilling the vending machines when quantities are low, at least until they have a better idea of the demand, she explained. An online process for the public to receive access codes might be added if the phone call process consumes too much staff time.
Kaylee Smith, coordinator of strategic initiatives for the county board, will initiate a marketing plan that will include business cards, flyers and other materials to educate the public and potential clients.
If the demand becomes too great on staff, “We could allocate funding to help with expenses,” such as for an intern, said program committee chair Judy Ennis.
She also thanked the staff for their efforts to make the project a reality. “This is a visible project that is important for Wood County.”
