Commission approves Wayne State intergovernmental agreement as county expands naloxone vending rollout

Wayne County commissioners approved Revision 2 to Resolution 2024-027 and an intergovernmental agreement with Wayne State University’s Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) to support implementation of naloxone distribution and a public communications campaign.

Staff said the county is rolling out naloxone vending machines and other distribution points across municipalities, with the public-facing hub at endoverdosewayne.org. Department staff said the program currently has about 52 machines placed and coverage in 24 of 43 Wayne County municipalities, and that additional sites are being added in the coming weeks. The project combines county implementation oversight with CBHJ’s implementation team and a communications vendor for the public campaign.

Commissioners asked about targeting and equity in the rollout. Commissioner Baker McCormick asked whether the county is using data to focus distribution where overdose burden is highest and whether the campaign reaches communities most affected. Staff said the county is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of substance use and overdose impact, and is using ZIP-code-level measures including the state’s substance use vulnerability index and municipal profiles to guide site selection. Staff also said preliminary local analysis shows the African American community and older adults (age 55 and older) have experienced rising overdose fatalities in parts of Wayne County.

The department said it will continue to update the commission and provide sharable materials, including one-pagers and JPEG files for commissioner use on newsletters and social channels. Commissioners confirmed nonprofits, schools and government partners are eligible to host machines and that the county coordinates site approval with local jurisdictions, including the Detroit Health Department for Detroit-based locations.

A motion to approve Revision 2 and the intergovernmental agreement was moved by Commissioner Baker McCormick, supported by Commissioner Killeen, and recorded as carried. The transcript does not list a numeric roll-call vote.

Ending: County staff said they will continue to update the commission on machine placements, provide sharable outreach materials, and produce the comprehensive needs-assessment report for overdose prevention and targeting.