The state of Wisconsin was awarded $36 million this year from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and opioid manufacturers. Chippewa County Public Health in Chippewa Falls is looking to expand its resources by adding a public health vending machine, which will contain items such as Fentanyl testing strips, Narcan nasal spray, condoms, plan b, hygiene kits, toothbrushes, Doterra medication disposal bags, and other items aimed at preventing opioid misuse and providing resources for community members.
Chippewa County has been granted $800,000 from the state’s funding to be used for public health vending machines. This grant will not be funded by tax levy dollars but rather through grant funding and opioid settlement funds. The goal of the vending machine is to save lives and provide resources to community members in need.
Opioid overdose deaths have been on the rise in Chippewa County, with 14 deaths occurring in 2023 alone and 3 already happening in 2024. Eau Claire has had a vending machine at the county jail lobby for almost a year and has dispensed over 800 boxes of Narcan nasal spray and more than 2000 Fentanyl test strips. If approved for funding, Chippewa County Public Health staff expects to have the vending machine up and running by the end of this year. This initiative is crucial in addressing the opioid crisis and providing support to those affected in the community.
