Harm reduction vending machines in Milwaukee County; 8 more installed
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Behavioral Health Services have announced the placement of eight additional Harm Reduction Vending Machines throughout Milwaukee County.
These vending machines provide free access to harm reduction and prevention supplies, including fentanyl test strips, nasal naloxone, medication deactivation pouches, medication lock bags, and gun locks. All Harm Reduction Vending Machines are now also stocked with fentanyl/xylazine combination testing packs.
"Most vending machines are now within one or two blocks of an MCTS bus route and in 2023," said Shakita LaGrant-McClain, Executive Director of the Department of Health & Human Services. "90% of Milwaukee County residents who experienced an overdose lived within a 10 minute drive of a harm reduction vending machine. 1-in-5 of those are within a 10-minute walk."
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The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services Harm Reduction Vending Machine initiative is a cross-sector education and dissemination partnership for harm reduction supplies.
"Keeping Milwaukee County residents safe and healthy requires a community effort," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. "Increasing access to supplies, removing barriers such as cost, and destigmatizing the use of these life-saving tools has an overwhelmingly positive impact on our community. I am grateful to the Milwaukee County DHHS Behavioral Health Services team for their work in not only this initiative, but all the harm reduction initiatives they are championing. I also applaud the community businesses and organizations who have stepped up to host a Harm Reduction Vending Machine and provide this resource to their community."
Milwaukee County overdose deaths; harm reduction vending machines installed
With high numbers of overdose deaths in Milwaukee County, members of the community are pushing for more access to life-saving resources.
In 2023, Milwaukee County launched 11 Harm Reduction Vending Machines to combat the opioid crisis, overdose deaths, and gun violence throughout the county. These additional eight machines, seven indoors and one located outdoors, bring the total number of vending machines to 19.
In January 2024, Milwaukee County opened applications for businesses, healthcare clinics, and community organizations interested in hosting a Harm Reduction Vending Machine.
The eight additional locations of Harm Reduction Vending Machines:
- 4th Dimension Sobriety – 500 E. Center Street
- Benedict Center (Sisters Program) – 209 W. Orchard Street
- Clement J Zablocki VA Medical Center – 5000 W. National Avenue
- Forest Home Health Center – 1316 Forest Home Avenue
- Kuscuiszko Sport & Community Center – 2201 S. 7th Street
- Rogers Behavioral Health: West Allis Campus – 1101 W. Lincoln Avenue.
- Vin Baker Recovery– 4757 N. 76th Street
- Wisconsin Community Services, Inc. – 3732 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200
A map of all vending machine locations, additional harm reduction resources, and education on how to use the supplies is available at www.HarmReductionMKE.org.