“There is no single solution to ending this epidemic that has taken the lives of thousands of Hoosiers,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said at the unveiling event. “We can, however, take thoughtful steps to help shake the scourge of addiction from our communities. Naloxone vending machines are a practical tool to prevent overdoses and save lives.”

The first was unveiled by Holcomb  at the St. Joseph County Jail in South Bend. According to the state’s overdose dashboard, there have been at least 24 overdose deaths in St. Joseph County this year. The machines have also been placed at the Wayne and Dubois county jails as well.

“This machine gives St. Joseph County residents and our recently released inmates zero-barrier access to a medication that could mean the difference between life and death,”  said St. Joseph County Sheriff William Redman. “St. Joseph County Jail is proud to be the recipient of the state’s first naloxone vending machine, and we applaud Gov. Holcomb’s commitment to address the drug epidemic.”

Nineteen of these machines will be scattered throughout the state. The locations will be chosen by Overdose Lifeline, a nonprofit fighting addiction in Indiana, in partnership with the Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction. The state aims to place the machines in heavily trafficked areas with high need, as long as the sites exhibit a willingness to place and stock the machines, according to the governor’s office.

Overdose Lifeline bought the machines, which are made by the Shaffer Distribution Company, using $72,600 in federal funds provided by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction.

Each machine holds 300 kits, with each kit containing one dose of the lifesaving drug, instructions for use and a referral to treatment for substance abuse disorder. Individuals can learn more about Overdose Lifeline services or request a free naloxone kit here.

Other states have used the machines, sometimes called “harm reduction vending machines,” including Kentucky and Michigan. They are commonly placed in public areas of jails so that discharged inmates with substance abuse disorder can receive free naloxone. These are helpful because they distribute naloxone using few resources and staff members in jails, hospitals, and other sites, according to the governor’s office.

According to drugabuse.gov, Indiana ranked 16th in the nation for opioid-caused deaths per 100,000 residents in 2018. Twelve states were excluded from the list because they did not meet the study’s criteria.

A recently announced $255,000 initiative from the Duke Energy Foundation will also be combatting the state’s opioid crisis, with about $140,000 of the funds being put into programs centering on substance abuse and treatment.

The money will be given to communities across the state. In central Indiana, Johnson, Hancock and Hamilton counties are receiving $115,000.

In Johnson County, $25,000 will go towards Upstream Prevention and Johnson Memorial Hospital to educate the community and healthcare professionals on opioid use prevention and intervention and to increase access to naloxone.

For Hancock County, the Duke Energy Foundation has doled out $10,000 for the Hancock Health Foundation to expand mental health and substance abuse services and education at local schools.

Hamilton County is receiving a big chunk of the funds at $80,000. This money will create a countywide behavioral health collaborative that focuses on prevention, early identification and intervention, crisis intervention, and short- and long-term treatment programs.

These initiatives are intended to curb increases in substance abuse and its effects. The state saw a spike in overdoses in 2020, with a 50% increase from 2019.