PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — JOLT Harm Reduction in Peoria is implementing another way to help combat deadly overdoses in the community.
Starting next week, the facility at 2203 North Sheridan Road will have a 24/7 vending machine available in its vestibule area.
Chris Schaffner, JOLT’s program director, said HOI Vending donated the machine in partnership with Carle Health. The machine will have overdose reversal tools such as Narcan and Noloxone.
It will also have safe sex kits, with condoms and safe sex information, as well as Fentanyl testing strips.
Schaffner said all of the items will be free of charge.
“We wanted to be able to provide a vending machine so that people could access Naloxone and Narcan 24 hours around the clock,” Schaffner said. “We are only open for a few hours each day just during the work week and so people need to have access to Narcan around the clock when it’s needed.”
Schaffner said this method will also give people a little bit more discretion.
“People still don’t want to come in and self-disclose that they might need Narcan or that they have a loved one that they’re worried about because there’s so much stigma and fear of judgment,” Schaffner said. “So giving people an opportunity to just discreetly come in, grab a box, and get in your car and go home, that removes just one more barrier to people accessing the resources they need to keep people alive.”
He said the machine is necessary because an overdose can happen at any hour of the day. He said all people have to do is press the buttons on the machine and it will automatically dispense the items for them.
