West Virginia’s only naloxone vending machine moves locations

WESTOVER, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia’s only vending machine that distributes naloxone is getting a new home at Wise Path Recovery Centers in Westover.

The relocation comes after the closure of its original location at Hope Hill Sobering Center as well as from a new partnership between Wise Path, West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL) and the Monongalia County Quick Response Team (QRT).

According to the WVSL’s Executive Director Jon Dower, this vending machine was first purchased about a year and a half ago. After Hope Hill closed, his team worked to find a way to get the life-saving medication in people’s hands during non-traditional hours when the QRT isn’t available.

“We searched many different locations in Monongalia County, trying to find a place that was gonna provide that overnight access,” said Dower. “And unfortunately, a lot of the locations just aren’t suitable for a machine.”

However, after some time, WVSL was able to partner up with Wise Path to place the machine in its inpatient facility, which is staffed 24/7. The machine was strategically placed in the vestibule of the main entrance of the building so that people could access the medication without interacting with a staff member if they didn’t want to.

“It’s in a vestibule that’s private, it’s out of the weather,” Dower added. “But at the same time, should they need additional care or resources, they can literally push the button on the door and immediately get access to one of Wise Path’s staff.”

Dower told 12 News that historically speaking, Monongalia County has seen higher rates of overdoses than some of the other counties across the state. Therefore, WVSL and its partner organizations have been working to keep that number as low as possible.

“The main rationale of using a vending machine is you don’t need to staff it 24/7,” said Dower. “Meaning you don’t have to pay a human being to stand there and distribute Narcan.”

However, he said the real reason why the state’s only vending machine came to Monongalia County is because the county did the work to make it happen. “It’s specifically because we decided to do the work to make that thing an actuality,” he stated.

Dower said that they had to work with the WV Board of Pharmacy, as well as the Office of Drug Control Policy in order to get initial approval for the machine. He said that it was also important to try and find a way for multiple agencies to work together for this project.

“We can always help more people when we’re working together than when we’re working in silence,” Dower added.

The vending machine is equipped with QR codes that collect data from its users and also provide instructions on how to administer naloxone.

With this new private setup, Dower said anyone can go at any time without needing to go to a pharmacy or face stigma for picking up the medication, or fentanyl test strips. “And we’ve added personal hygiene supplies to it to ensure that we’re supporting the widest amount of individuals possible,” he said.

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