Naloxone Vending Machine Outside Emergency Department for Public Use

Aug 12, 2023

MetroHealth Medical Center is one of five Cleveland locations where a vending machine stocked with naloxone – the life-saving opioid overdose antidote – has been installed for public use. The vending machine also includes other harm items such as condoms, wound care kits, fentanyl test strip kits and sharps containers.

The vending machine is situated between the Emergency Department and F elevators and is accessible 24 hours a day.

The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County received a $1.1 million state grant aimed at reducing overdose fatalities. Other vending machines purchased with money from the grant have been installed at Murtis Taylor Human Services System and three locations of The Centers. Learn more here.

"Harm reduction efforts, like public access to naloxone in vending machines and emergency access naloxone cabinets, save lives. The ADAMHS Board doesn't condone drug use, but we want to make sure people are alive to get the help they need," said Scott Osiecki, CEO of the ADAMHS Board. "It is important for the community to know that mental illness and addictions are biological brain disorders that require treatment. We want people to have that chance to get treatment, to live in recovery and that is why we continue to expand harm reduction tools."

Nearly 450 emergency access naloxone cabinets also were purchased with the grant and are being installed in public places. The ADAMHS Board contracted with MetroHealth's Office of Opioid Safety to install, track and monitor the use of the overdose reversal drugs Narcan and Kloxxado (brand names for naloxone).

"These are important tools that have been proven to save lives and help to eventually get people on the road to recovery," said Dr. Joan Papp, Medical Director of MetroHealth's Office of Opioid Safety. "Providing the community with 24/7 access is an important part of turning the tide on this epidemic, which has caused so much pain for our families, friends and neighbors."

Naloxone and other supplies in the vending machine can be accessed by scanning the QR Code on the machine and following instructions. Individuals can access the machine once per week, free of charge.

For additional naloxone supplies, individuals can visit the Project DAWN Mobile Unit weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3370 W. 25th St. You can learn more about Project DAWN by clicking here.

Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County's public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through four hospitals, four emergency departments, and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites. Each day, our 8,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable health care–through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services–that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.