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Council approves naloxone vending box for Riverfront Restrooms
Summary
The Ballygan City Council approved placement of a grant-funded naloxone vending box at the Riverfront Restrooms after a presentation from OnPoint; the machine will be restocked by the Grand Rapids RED Project and the city will transfer an existing small unit to the fire department for coverage.
The Ballygan City Council on Dec. 8 approved placement of a grant-funded naloxone vending box at the Riverfront Restrooms to expand community access to the opioid overdose antidote.
Gina Kerber, chief operating officer at OnPoint, told council the vending boxes are intended to reach people who may not be connected to health services. "Michigan has over 55 vending machines statewide," Kerber said, and "more than 20,000 naloxone kits are dispensed from those public machines." She said the machines are free to the city through a grant and are restocked by the Grand Rapids RED Project. Kerber also cited a 5.7% reduction in overdose deaths in areas that used similar machines.
City staff said a smaller unit already at the Riverfront Restrooms would be transferred to the fire department if the new machine is installed so the smaller unit remains in service elsewhere. Council members asked about vandalism and monitoring; staff noted on-site cameras and agreed to a trial period and to gather restocking reports from the RED Project. "We can definitely look at that," Kerber said when asked about restock frequency.
Council approved the placement by voice vote. The city will monitor usage and coordinate with the RED Project and fire department for restocking and maintenance.
The action is administrative: staff will work with OnPoint and the RED Project on placement logistics, monitoring and any necessary relocation.
