Residents in Cassopolis and Niles can now access free doses of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan, thanks to newly installed vending machines at local health centers. The Cass Family Clinic has placed the machines at its facilities in both communities.
Pharmacy Director Kevin Klipowicz said the vending machines were funded by a $13,000 grant from the Cass County Opioid Settlement Fund. The fund approached the clinic with the idea to expand access to Narcan.
“I was voting this year at the Niles County Courthouse and saw a vending machine there,” Klipowicz explained. “I sent a photo to our CEO, and he told me the opioid fund had already contacted us about doing something similar. So we moved forward with the plan.”
Vending machines offering free Narcan have already been placed in other Southwest Michigan locations, such as the Berrien County Jail and local police departments.
As a pharmacist, Klipowicz said he has seen firsthand the impact of opioid abuse in the area. He believes that increasing public access to Narcan can help prevent overdose deaths.
“I already had to restock the machine in Niles,” he said. “People are really using it, which is great. I tell patients to think of Narcan like a fire extinguisher—it’s something you hope you never need, but it’s important to have just in case.”
Narcan is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose within seconds by unblocking the receptors opioids bind to. It can restore breathing and consciousness in critical moments. Klipowicz advises anyone who knows someone at risk of overdose to keep a dose nearby.
The clinic receives the Narcan spray itself from the state, allowing it to offer the product free of charge.
Cass Family Clinic also plans to add a third vending machine later this year at its new location in Dowagiac, once that office opens.
