July 25, 2025

Bridge Over Troubled Waters has recently acquired a public health vending machine, which contains Narcan (naloxone), a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, and other critical items.

Funded by a grant from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), youth at Bridge can now access Narcan from the vending machine in the event of an opioid overdose emergency. The vending machine also contains fentanyl and xylazine testing strips, prophylactics, pregnancy tests, hand warmers, socks, snacks, toiletries, and wound care kits. The team at Bridge gave considerable thought to choosing the machine’s contents, ensuring that it would be filled with items that are used frequently and that youth would be able to access in a respectful and dignified manner. An important goal was to reduce any hesitation youth might have about using the vending machine and its contents, as it was specifically customized for the needs of our young adult population.

All items in the vending machine are free to youth, who, once registered, can access the items from Bridge’s vending machine or any of the other four BPHC Narcan vending machines in the city. The machine also tracks which items are the most popular and provides alerts as to which need to be restocked, providing our Bridge team with valuable feedback about what products are most in demand.

“This vending machine will be extremely useful to our young adults, who will have easy access to these lifesaving items without fear of judgement or stigma. We are truly grateful to the BPHC for enabling us to provide all these items to youth,” said Bridge Program Director Peter Ducharme.

Distributing Narcan (along with fentanyl and xylazine testing strips) are part of a larger effort by Bridge to help youth to engage in strategies that reduce the negative side effects and consequences of substance use. Bridge programs support youth in setting achievable goals to reduce substance use, with a focus on fostering realistic and positive outcomes.