Dane County is strengthening its response to the opioid crisis by launching two new harm reduction vending machines, strategically placed outside UW Health University Hospital and SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in central Madison.
Stocked with free supplies like naloxone (both nasal spray and injectable), fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and menstrual kits, the machines aim to lower barriers to life-saving care by placing resources directly where they’re most needed. The vending machine at University Hospital is placed outside the BerbeeWalsh Emergency Department at 1565 Highland Avenue in Madison.
“The sites for the machines were carefully selected to ensure people will be able to easily access them,” said Dane County Emergency Management (DCEM) Director Charles Tubbs.
This collaboration underscores how partnerships can drive meaningful change, said Dr. Michael Mancera, an emergency medicine physician at UW Health and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He emphasized that the discreet and immediate access to these materials helps reduce stigma for people who use drugs, empowering both them and their loved ones with tools to prevent overdose and save lives.
To determine what supplies would be most helpful, Dane County Emergency Management analyzed data from similar harm reduction vending efforts and reviewed local ambulance call reports. The department also secured funding through a Wisconsin Department of Health Services grant to help pay for the machines and life-saving items they dispense.
This initiative is a joint effort between Dane County, SSM Health, UW Health, UW–Madison, and several other community partners.
Read the full press release at danecounty.gov 
.