First “Harm Reduction” vending machine set up in Jay
JAY, Okla. – The first health awareness vending machine earmarked for rural Oklahoma has been launched in Jay.
The Harm Reduction Vending Machine is filled with NARCAN, Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, HIV tests, pregnancy tests, wound care kits and blood alcohol tests and is located at 1015 W. Washbourne Street outside GRAND’S building.
GRAND provides mental health assistance for Oklahomans. The agency has 25 mental health clinics in Oklahoma.
“The vending machine is free and available at all times to the public,” said Ron Brady, GRAND spokesman.
“This initiative is not just about providing supplies; it’s about providing hope and a chance for individuals struggling with addiction to see a brighter tomorrow,” said Larry Smith, GRAND Mental Health CEO. “Everyone deserves access to free, life-saving resources.”
From 2018 to 2022, 29 people died in Delaware County as a result of a drug overdose,
Oklahoma State Health Department
Accidental overdoses are the leading cause of death among adults under 50 in the US, and 70% of these overdoses were driven by opioids, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, according to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
“In rural areas where resources are scarce and support is limited, free access to harm reduction materials can be the difference between life and death,” said Teresa Carnes, DCCP president and RCORP Program Director for Delaware County.
Carnes explained the vending machine is a necessity and “a step toward reducing the stigma around addiction and mental health challenges.”
Every second counts in an overdose or crisis, and having immediate access to NARCAN, fentanyl test strips, and other critical supplies will save lives, she said.
Several Delaware County groups including GRAND Mental Health, Delaware County Community Partnership, Delaware County Rural Communities Opioid Response Program and Integris Hospital partnered to host the vending machine in Delaware County.
For more information visit grandmh.com or call the 24/7 crisis hotline at (800)722.3611.
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