Ozarks-area cities receive Narcan vending machines
By Nate Sanchez
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LAKE OZARK, Missouri (KOMU) — Central Ozarks Medical Centers (COMC) announced four Narcan vending machines will be available in in Lake Ozark, Camdenton, Lebanon and Crocker. The Lake Ozark and Lebanon machines are already installed, and the Camdenton and Crocker locations will be available soon.
Narcan is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose in minutes. The medicine consists of two sprays and is free of charge. The machine provides a voucher that is then entered into the machine and the medicine is dispensed.
“The Narcan dispensers were the last part of a federal funding we had,” Kelly Miller, CEO of COMC, said. “It took about six months from design to implementation and then actually getting them on site.”
The COMC applied for federal funding through the Rural Communities Opioid Response program. It was awarded $1 million worth of funding over three years, which COMC put toward prevention, treatment, and recovery. Those funds also contributed to the Narcan vending machines.
Miller estimated that in the last four to five months, CMOC’s clinics have started treating about 160 patients.
One benefit to Narcan is that it is not a contraindication. This means, according to Miller, that it can be administered to someone who could potentially be overdosing, and if they are not overdosing, there are no negative side effects.
According to Jacquetha Decker, COMC’s peer recovery support specialist, some signs of overdosing include pale skin, blue lips, vomiting, and sometimes seizing.
Miller also stressed the anonymity of the dispensers since one of them is located at a police department.
“These are completely anonymous, there’s no cameras on them, and people don’t have to give their name,” she said. “It was really important that the Lebanon Police Department wanted to make sure people knew they weren’t being recorded and they weren’t watching.”
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