Dunn County Health Department Opens Harm Reduction Kiosk

The Dunn County Health Department has announced the installation of a harm reduction kiosk inside their building.

According to a press release, the new free, self-serve kiosk contains a number of items aimed at improving health outcomes for people struggling with addiction. Located just inside the front door of the building, the kiosk contains items like Naloxone, fentanyl test strips, gun locks, hygiene kits and medication disposal bags.

Earlier this week, Eau Claire, Chippewa and Dunn County each released a community health report regarding the biggest issues facing each community. While the three main concerns facing all three counties were found to be alcohol misuse, accessible child care, and access to health care, the report also noted substance abuse as a major issue.

Fully addressing the opioid epidemic that faces rural communities across the country is a complicated issue, but many municipalities have had success with harm reduction vending machines like the one installed in the Dunn County Health Department. According to a WQOW report, Eau Claire’s vending machine dispensed nearly 900 boxes of Narcan and over 500 fentanyl test strips in its first year of operation. Eau Claire County also recently launched an opioid data dashboard to more closely track opioid use in the county.

The goal of the kiosks isn’t to eliminate opioid use entirely, but to ensure that residents who use illicit substances at least do so in the safest way possible. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, can be used to reverse an opioid overdose while fentanyl test strips can be used to reduce the risk of an accidental overdose.

Funding for the Dunn County kiosk was provided through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services using opioid settlement funds. Mayo Health System provided funding for hygiene kits and the Dunn County Veteran’s Service Office provided funding for the gun locks.