Compass Housing Alliance was selected to host a Harm Reduction Vending Machine to increase access to lifesaving Naloxone and fentanyl
test strips for our program guests and their extended community. This location serves people who are currently or formerly homeless with a trauma informed, harm-reduction model that includes guests currently using substances and at risk of overdose.
The Compass Center has Naloxone available for staff to administer and all Compass staff are trained in Naloxone delivery, starting with new employee orientation.
The programs have been carrying Naloxone since 2019 and utilize it frequently to save the lives of guests. During the summer of 2023, staff at the Compass Center 210 and Otto’s Place shelter used Naloxone to prevent overdose deaths an average of 15 times per month.
In addition to helping guests in the programs, staff have responded to overdose emergencies happening on the street nearby, as people in the community recognize these locations as emergency resources. The vending machine allows guests of Compass programs to access and carry Naloxone and fentanyl test-strips in the community, extending the reach of these harm-reduction supplies to their extended networks who may not be connected to other services.
The Compass Day Center serves as a vital hub for people currently or formerly experiencing homelessness and have the staffing and experience to support Harm Reduction vending machines and save lives. The CSO is open Monday-Friday, 9-4PM with fully staffed window-service, who are available to give guests the vending machine codes and provide training in Naloxone or test-strips use.