The Impact of Harm Reduction Vending Machines in the Community

Vending machines dispensing naloxone, drug checking strips, and other public health items to address co-occurring conditions (e.g. STDs, HIV, Hepatitis C) represent a potential non-stigmatizing, low-barrier approach to harm reduction that may increase access and engagement with underserved populations and reduce overdoses and related public health conditions. This presentation begins with an introduction to PreventEd, a St. Louis-based non-profit that aims to create real and sustainable change through education, intervention, and advocacy. PreventEd will lead attendees through their community engagement approach to distributing Naloxone in diverse neighborhoods in the Eastern Missouri region. In closing, we welcome the Penn State College of Medicine to highlight the challenges and lessons learned with implementing community health-orientated vending machines, community engagement tactics, and research objectives.

Together the learning objectives include:

• Techniques in working with individuals and groups who represent different world views, experiences, and lived realities;

• Community and organizational negotiables and non-negotiables; and

• Creating…