Oak Park will be included in a Cook County and CTA-sponsored pilot program putting overdose-stopping drugs in train stations.
The Harlem/Lake Green Line stop in the village is one of five CTA stations that will have a vending machine stocked with Naloxone installed in a collaboration between the transit agency and Cook County Health. Naloxone, also commonly referred to as the trademarked name Narcan, is a safe nasal spray medication that works to reverse the effects of an overdose from opioids such as heroin, prescription painkillers and fentanyl, according to the village.
“Ensuring the Naloxone is accessible in communities impacted by opioids will undoubtedly save lives,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, CEO of Cook County Health in a news release. “By working with the CTA, we can reach people where they are, and also remove barriers and stigma from accessing this life-saving antidote. This reflects Cook County Health’s public health approach to the opioid crisis impacting this country – reducing barriers, expanding access and helping to support healthy and safe communities.”
The vending machine program’s pilot phase is expected to last six months. Cook County Health has earmarked $100,000 to maintain the machines, including some federal funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the county.
The Harlem/Lake Green Line stop is the only suburban train stop included in the first phase of the initiative. The stations were chosen based on community input and data that zeroed in on areas with higher opioid-related emergencies, according to the CTA.
“Our partnership with Cook County Health is a powerful and innovative way for public transit to support the communities we serve,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “CTA rail stations are often hubs in Chicago communities, and we believe that these vending machines have the potential to help save lives and support the health and well-being of those in need of Naloxone.”
The vending machine joins seven locations around the village where boxes are stocked with the drug and instructions on how to use it to administer first aid to someone experiencing an opioid overdose.
Those locations include several street corners, the Oak Park Public Library Main Branch and the restrooms at Maple Park.
Several Oak Park residents have died as result of opioid overdoses since last year, with the overdose deaths coming mostly as result of exposure to fentanyl, according to finalized case reports from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Fentanyl is an opioid that’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. The substance, which is often found laced into other drugs, has been considered the “primary driver” of drug overdose deaths in the United States in recent years, according to the CDC.