Guilford County Unveils Third Free Naloxone Vending Machine in High Point

Guilford County officials and community partners held a ribbon-cutting on Feb. 20 to unveil a publicly accessible, no-cost naloxone vending machine at Triad Health Project, 501 W. Westwood Ave. in High Point. County officials and WXII 12 News said the unit dispenses naloxone (Narcan), wound-care kits and fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and it is the county’s third publicly accessible naloxone vending machine after units placed in the lobbies of the Greensboro Detention Center and the High Point Detention Center.

Public-health leaders framed the vending program as an effort to expand access to overdose-reversal medication and reduce overdose deaths while lowering barriers to wound care. Amanda Clark, drug and injury prevention manager with Guilford County Public Health, said, “This is a win‑win for both public health and our organization of helping reach our goals of having a happy and healthy community.” Clark also told NorthCarolinaHealthNews that increasing the number of people who carry naloxone and know how to use it is equivalent to broadening CPR and first-aid skills in the community.

Funding and procurement for the Triad Health Project machine followed separate paths. WXII reported that BlueCross BlueShield’s Healthy Blue Foundation funded the machine and the first two fills of naloxone. Yahoo reported the county planned to accept a $7,500 Healthy Blue grant to cover the cost and noted the county also receives funds from a national opioid lawsuit settlement. Separately, NorthCarolinaHealthNews reported that the National Center for State Courts provided naloxone vending machines at no cost to detention centers in multiple counties, including Guilford, as part of the Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative.

Usage figures offered distinct snapshots of demand. Yahoo reported county officials saying 1,240 naloxone kits have been distributed through the jail lobby machines since September 2023, with refills averaging every six to eight weeks. Amanda Clark told NorthCarolinaHealthNews that since “the machine’s installation on Aug. 24” she had seen nearly 600 naloxone kits distributed, required a refill in less than a week, and in under three months matched the number of kits she gave out across community events the prior year.

Operational details emphasize low barriers to access. Elizabeth O’Brien, communications manager for the Guilford County Division of Public Health, described the mechanics to Yahoo: “The vending machines work the same way as ones for food or snacks. You push the button and the item falls to the bottom where you can take it.” HPTNWS published a photo from the ribbon-cutting showing Adriana Galdo Adams, CEO of Triad Health Project, and Courtney McFadden, Guilford County Public Health Director, pointing out the medical items in the new machine.

The Board of Commissioners was scheduled to discuss and accept the Healthy Blue grant at a meeting this week, according to Yahoo. County officials and partner agencies did not provide a public timeline for future refills at the Triad Health Project machine; follow-up reporting can confirm refill cadence and updated distribution totals after the Feb. 20 installation.