Within the foyer of the YMCA in Studying, Pennsylvania, stands a row of merchandising machines – however one device isn’t like the remaining.
As a substitute of stocking chips or soda, this merchandising device has drug-testing strips, hygiene kits, socks, cleaning soap, wound care provides and naloxone, a drugs additionally identified via its emblem identify Narcan this is used to opposite opioid overdoses – all utterly loose.
The Well being To Pass merchandising device has been within the Studying YMCA for over a yr. Some other one is in Harrisburg, outdoor of the UPMC Harrisburg Emergency Division. The machines record the names of assets similar to psychological well being care, meals banks, housing help and substance use dysfunction remedy at the display and supply touch knowledge and a QR code to scan for more information.
We’re a health care provider and assistant professor of circle of relatives and neighborhood medication and a legal justice professor at Penn State College and feature been a part of a collective effort to position those two Well being To Pass merchandising machines in position. The merchandising machines are a part of a rising motion in the USA to offer simple get entry to to harm-reduction assets.
Naloxone, wound care kits and extra
Hurt-reduction merchandising machines changed into widespread in towns around the U.S. all through the COVID-19 pandemic, when other folks may just now not simply get entry to in-person services and products and when drug overdose deaths additionally rose dramatically.
Maximum machines dispense naloxone nasal spray to opposite overdoses and different pieces similar to syringes and fentanyl take a look at strips. Some, just like the Well being To Pass machines, additionally be offering normal well being and hygiene pieces similar to cleaning soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, and being pregnant checks. If an individual is observed on the device, they may well be getting a toothbrush and socks or they may well be getting naloxone – no person gazing would essentially know. Additionally, the character of the merchandising device approach the folk the usage of them don’t want to engage with an individual to acquire Narcan or drug-checking strips, as many of us with substance use dysfunction really feel stigma or embarrassment about their habit.
The Well being To Pass merchandising machines are interactive, with a big contact display within the entrance. The merchandising device is attached to WiFi and cell knowledge and is in a position to seize nameless knowledge on how persons are the usage of the device. The device too can ask customers survey inquiries to get their comments, similar to whether or not there are different pieces they wish to see within the device or whether or not they assume the device is having an have an effect on on decreasing stigma on substance use.
Those machines in Pennsylvania, the place over 3,300 other folks died of drug overdose in 2024, down from over 5,300 in 2021, are funded via grants from Penn State Faculty of Medication, the Nationwide Institute on Drug Abuse, UPMC Pinnacle Basis and opioid agreement price range from Dauphin and Berks counties.
All of this information is helping the workforce understand how to reinforce the device to raised serve other folks with opioid habit, in addition to other folks experiencing homelessness and having bother affording fundamental wishes. The contact display could also be in a position to play movies, similar to a snappy explainer on learn how to use fentanyl checking out strips and testimonials from other folks in restoration, and show area people assets and services and products the place other folks can get assist.
Massive contact monitors steered customers to check in to get loose pieces and know about different neighborhood services and products.
Alice Zhang/Penn State Faculty of Medication
Over the last yr, the 2 Well being To Pass merchandising machines in Studying and Harrisburg have disbursed greater than 11,000 pieces. The preferred pieces are the hygiene kits, with over 3,300 disbursed. The kits comprise toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, combs, nail clippers, ChapStick, mouthwash, cleaning soap and towels. The machines even have disbursed just about 1,900 doses of naloxone, 1,700 wound care kits, and over 1,500 more secure intercourse kits.
We interviewed 10 merchandising device customers in Studying within the iciness and spring of 2025. “I was homeless and I didn’t have any money,” one girl shared with us. “It sounded too good to be true, and then I got here and got all that stuff for free. … Just having a clean pair of socks, that’s awesome.”
Greater than 2,300 distinct usernames have been registered to the 2 machines prior to now yr. The usernames are the individual’s start yr, a colour and a nature or animal icon. This permits us to trace people anonymously through the years as they use the device and get data as they resolution survey questions. Just about 40% of customers reported being unemployed, and virtually 1 / 4 mentioned they’re experiencing homelessness or housing lack of confidence.
Out of the ones surveyed, 4 in 5 mentioned that they had bother paying for fundamental wishes, and over a 3rd had now not observed a physician prior to now yr.
A judgment-free choice
Well being To Pass merchandising device customers reported that they used the machines for the reason that provides have been loose, to be had 24/7, they usually may just get what they wanted simply and with out going through judgment.
For individuals who really feel uncomfortable in conventional well being care settings or speaking to any individual in consumer, those merchandising machines be offering a judgment-free choice.
“You don’t have no one looking over your shoulder, you have no one condemning you for, you know, getting an HIV kit or getting a pregnancy test kit or getting a wound kit,” a merchandising device person we surveyed informed us. “There’s no one there behind you, just like, ‘Oh my God, you have HIV.’”
“Nobody wants to walk up to somebody and say, ‘Hey, excuse me, can I get a Narcan kit, or can I get a fentanyl test strip?’” some other merchandising device person mentioned. “It just makes you feel … like not whole. I don’t want other people to know that I’m in an addiction.”
We predict that hanging naloxone and drug-checking strips along different well being and hygiene pieces is helping to normalize them. We additionally imagine calling it Well being To Pass places the point of interest on well being, now not simply on substance use.
The workforce plans to put in no less than two extra machines in central Pennsylvania throughout the subsequent yr. By way of casting off limitations similar to price, hours of operation and doable stigma, the Well being To Pass merchandising machines are in a position to succeed in individuals who would possibly another way fall in the course of the cracks of conventional well being care.
As one device person defined, “They are saving people from STDs and stuff like that. They’re saving people from overdosing. They’re saving people from dying.”
