photo by: Bremen Keasey

A vending machine that distributes free naloxone nasal spray, a drug commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan that can reverse opioid overdoses, at the Heartland Community Health Center, 1312 W. Sixth St. The vending machine is one of three new units installed Friday by Lawrence's Homeless Response Team.

The City of Lawrence has installed three new vending machines that dispense an opioid overdose-reversal drug, with additional machines expected to be installed later this year.

The city announced in a news release Monday that the Homeless Solutions Division had installed the machines that dispense Narcan at agencies that work to end chronic homelessness. The machines dispense free naloxone nasal spray, a drug commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan.

The three new machines are located at the Lawrence Community Shelter, 3655 E. 25th St.; the Homeless Resource Center, 944 Kentucky St.; and Heartland Community Health Center, 1312 W. Sixth St.

Funding for the machines was made possible through a $200,000 grant from Kansas Fights Addiction, a state program started in 2021 that disperses funds from legal settlements with pharmaceutical companies for prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. Along with the vending machines, the grant funds support the naloxone kits in the machines, fentanyl test strips, trauma-informed care training and additional contracted staff to support this work.

Lawrence already had one Narcan vending machine installed at Lawrence Transit’s Central Station, 2315 Bob Billings Parkway, as the Journal-World reported. According to the release, the city expects to add five other machines throughout the community, although locations weren’t specified.

The initial grant application envisioned the addition of one new Narcan machine, but a collaboration with the vending machine company Schmidt Vending allowed the city to repurpose older machines for a cheaper alternative that could expand the program.

Misty Bosch-Hastings, the director of Homeless Solutions, said this effort increases access to a “vital, life-saving resource” that highlights the efforts of many different local organizations.

“This project is a great example of community collaboration and innovation, with many partner organizations coming together in an effort to save more lives,” Bosch-Hastings said.