County launches “Well Wayne Stations” Initiative

By Sarah Shurge – Every day, hundreds of people die from overdose in the U.S., with an average of eight deaths daily in Michigan alone. Currently, Wayne County ranks as the highest county in Michigan for overdose.
An effective method for reducing opioid overdose in the community is distributing naloxone (Narcan®). Naloxone (in any form) is effective at reversing overdoses, including overdoses due to opioid contamination.
The Wayne County Department of Health, Human, and Veteran Services (HHVS) is working in partnership with Wayne State University Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) to recruit municipal and community sites for participation in the “Well Wayne Stations” Initiative.
This initiative provides free public health vending machines and/or PorchBoxes (newsstand-style storage boxes) and positions them as low barrier access points for naloxone (Narcan®) and drug checking supplies (fentanyl test strips and xylazine test strips) within the community.
The primary goal of the “Well Wayne Stations” Initiative is to reduce overdose and expand access and linkage to lifesaving overdose reversal and harm reduction supplies (naloxone and drug checking supplies).
A Well Wayne Station has been placed at the Wayne Public Library.
“Partnering with the county to host a Well Wayne Station at the library is a great way to get safe and effective harm-reduction options like naloxone in front of a broad audience,” said Jody Wolak, Wayne Public Library Director. “Before we agreed to host the station I reached out to other libraries that have similar distribution boxes and they had overwhelmingly positive things to say about the experience.”
Participation as a host site is low barrier. HHVS and CBHJ will handle all financial obligations, coordination, installation, maintenance, and stocking of Well Wayne Stations.
There is no financial burden and only minimal responsibilities for participating organizations.
“We’ve only had the Well Wayne Station for two weeks and have already seen it get a lot of usage. We’re pleased to be able to make these resources more accessible to everyone in our city,” said Wolak. “Lives have been saved by naloxone obtained from boxes like these.”
HHVS and CBHJ envision a county where all residents have naloxone on-hand.
Getting naloxone into the community, especially to people who are at highest risk of overdose and those closest to them, is the only evidenced based public health strategy for preventing opioid overdose deaths.
Naloxone has no effect on individuals that do not have opioids in their system.
For more information about ending overdoses, visit endoverdosewayne.org
If you’re an organization interested in becoming a host site, you can fill out a brief 5-10 minute survey (scan QR code) or email jchami@waynecounty.com and danielle.lenz@wayne.edu to set up an informational meeting.
Thank you to the Wayne Public Library for being a participating host site for the “Well Wayne Stations” Initiative!