Life-saving access: Naloxone vending machines drive 63.5% increase in overdose prevention in Michigan jails
Danielle Lenz, a senior project coordinator for the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) at the Wayne State University School of Social Work, is co-author of “Naloxone vending machines in county jail,” an article published in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. The article highlights a harm-reduction strategy aimed at addressing overdose deaths in Michigan jails through the installation of naloxone vending machines, a project supported by the CDC's Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant. They found that there was a 63.5% increase in distribution following installation, with larger jails seeing the greatest impact.
Lenz collaborated with Bethany Hedden-Clayton, federal grants manager for the CBHJ; Bradley Ray, senior justice and behavioral health researcher for RTI International; Grant Victor, assistant professor for the Rutgers University School of Social Work; and Peyton R. Attaway, a public health analyst for RTI International. Together, they explored the effectiveness of naloxone vending machines as a low-barrier tool to distribute life-saving medication in jails.
“We found that administrators who had a prior knowledge of overdose and had an understanding of the misconceptions and stigma around these types of medications and why they’re so important, were much more enthusiastic about taking on these types of machines in their jails,” said Lenz. “These vending machines offer a sense of anonymity that other programs often lack, which helps remove the stigma for users seeking this critical resource.”
Naloxone vending machines play a critical role in jails, where individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at an especially high risk of overdose upon release. According to Lenz, these machines provide a “low barrier” solution by offering free naloxone and an easy online portal to reorder supplies, which has made it simpler for some facilities to gain approval for installation. For many individuals leaving incarceration, there is limited access to community-based treatment and few resources to manage immediate overdose risks. By placing naloxone directly in jails, these vending machines bridge that gap, equipping people with a potentially life-saving tool as they transition back into the community.
This initiative holds personal significance to Lenz who lost a close friend to suicide via drug use. She joined the CBHJ in 2019 just six months after her loss, which gave Lenz a new sense of purpose. “My initial project with the CBHJ was MiREP, the Michigan Re-entry Project for individuals with co-occurring mental health and opioid use disorders leaving Michigan jails and prisons,” she said. “In the midst of my grief I was able to dive into this work at the intersection of behavioral health, criminal legal systems, and substance use, and I fell in love with it and with helping to make space to uplift voices that society has often silenced or overlooked.”
Sheryl Kubiak, dean of the Wayne State University School of Social Work and director of the CBHJ, praised the publication’s impact: "This work exemplifies the kind of innovative, compassionate, and data-driven solutions that are at the heart of the CBHJ's mission. By addressing the overdose epidemic in such a practical and impactful way, Danielle and her co-authors are not only saving lives but also paving the way for more equitable access to life-saving resources. It is through efforts like this that we can make real strides in transforming the criminal-legal and behavioral health systems, aligning with our broader mission of advancing social justice."
Bradley Ray, former director of the CBHJ, and Grant Victor, former director of implementation at the CBHJ, were instrumental in initiating the naloxone vending machine project. “It was a full-circle moment for me to collaborate with Brad, Grant, and Bethany, who have been mentors and role models,” said Lenz. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute my experience and expertise alongside theirs.”
Lenz is passionate about making research accessible to those who need it most. “This publication is designed to be straightforward, with clear takeaways,” Lenz said. “In the harm-reduction space, it’s critical to approach these issues with both humility and humanity, always striving to uplift the communities we serve.”
About the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice:
The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at the Wayne State University School of Social Work delivers actionable data, person‐centered research and evaluation, and collaborative technical assistance at the behavioral health/criminal legal intersection to empower community partners to adopt high‐impact care solutions. We envision a society that prevents, deflects, and diverts people with behavioral health concerns from the criminal legal continuum to appropriate care settings as a means to optimize individual and community wellbeing.