6 kiosks to provide health products for overdoses, COVID, sex in Arapahoe County

Heather Willard
·3 min read
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DENVER (KDVR) — Drug abuse, sexual activity and COVID-19 may feel like they are not connected, but Arapahoe County Public Health is combatting all three through new kiosks.

The first kiosk was installed in Englewood in late April. The Health Supply Kiosk program provides overdose prevention medication, COVID-19 test kits and sexual health supplies. Each kiosk will be placed in strategic community locations across Arapahoe County to remove barriers to healthcare access.

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“Many people in Arapahoe County struggle to access health services in traditional settings,” said Jennifer Ludwig, director of Arapahoe County Public Health, in a release. “The kiosks remove barriers by giving people access to resources at the same time and in the space where they are already comfortable receiving other vital resources. These kiosks also remove the need for individuals to access services in a traditional setting, which may feel daunting for those who are concerned about privacy.”

The pilot program is a partnership with community partners who will ensure all six kiosks are properly kept, managed and restocked. The second kiosk is scheduled to be placed in Aurora.

  • Elicia Chacon, Interim Harm Reduction Program Supervisor at Arapahoe County Public Health, stocks a Health Supply Kiosk with Narcan in Englewood.
    Elicia Chacon, Interim Harm Reduction Program Supervisor at Arapahoe County Public Health, stocks a Health Supply Kiosk with Narcan in Englewood.
  • Both nasal and injectable naloxone are available in the Health Supply Kiosks, along with COVID-19 tests and condoms and lubricant. Additional public health supplies may be added at other times, and available contents are always subject to vary.
    Both nasal and injectable naloxone are available in the Health Supply Kiosks, along with COVID-19 tests and condoms and lubricant. Additional public health supplies may be added at other times, and available contents are always subject to vary.
  • Alex Kellogg and Chris Howk from the Arapahoe County Public Health COVID-19 team stock the first Health Supply Kiosk with COVID-19 test kits. Funds for the kiosks themselves and all test kits were provided by COVID-19 grant funding.
    Alex Kellogg and Chris Howk from the Arapahoe County Public Health COVID-19 team stock the first Health Supply Kiosk with COVID-19 test kits. Funds for the kiosks themselves and all test kits were provided by COVID-19 grant funding.
  • The Health Supply Kiosks are operated in partnership between Arapahoe County Public Health and community partners to help ensure people who need items like overdose prevention medication, COVID-19 tests and sexual health supplies can access them at no cost.
    The Health Supply Kiosks are operated in partnership between Arapahoe County Public Health and community partners to help ensure people who need items like overdose prevention medication, COVID-19 tests and sexual health supplies can access them at no cost.
  • Kit Matzke, Health Educator at Arapahoe County Public Health, arranges the condoms and lubricant in the Health Supply Kiosk at a community partner in Englewood.
    Kit Matzke, Health Educator at Arapahoe County Public Health, arranges the condoms and lubricant in the Health Supply Kiosk at a community partner in Englewood.
  • From left to right: Alex Kellogg, Chris Howk, Arnette Lim, Kit Matzke and Elicia Chacon, all of the COVID-19 and Harm Reduction teams from Arapahoe County Public Health, pose with the first Health Supply Kiosk installed in Arapahoe County.
    From left to right: Alex Kellogg, Chris Howk, Arnette Lim, Kit Matzke and Elicia Chacon, all of the COVID-19 and Harm Reduction teams from Arapahoe County Public Health, pose with the first Health Supply Kiosk installed in Arapahoe County.
  • The dog who greets visitors at the community partner in Englewood sniffs the new Health Supply Kiosk curiously. As Arapahoe County Public Health staff stocked the machine with supplies, she oversaw the operation, then resumed her post as greeter of all visitors who come to seek services at the organization.
    The dog who greets visitors at the community partner in Englewood sniffs the new Health Supply Kiosk curiously. As Arapahoe County Public Health staff stocked the machine with supplies, she oversaw the operation, then resumed her post as greeter of all visitors who come to seek services at the organization.

This isn’t the first such venture for Arapahoe County Public Health. In February, the department announced a mobile harm reduction service called Prevention Point. It provides Narcan, fentanyl and xylazine test strips and places to safely dispose of needles. It also offers HIV, hepatitis C and other disease testing.

There will ultimately be three kiosks in Aurora, one in Englewood, one in Byers and one in Centennial, according to the health department. Each will specifically have rapid COVID-19 tests, overdose reversal medication (both nasal Narcan and injectable naloxone), condoms and lubricant. Additional items could be added based on community needs and available supplies.

The program is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some other grants/funds were used to fund supplies that were accessed through Arapahoe County Public Health.

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The news comes only a few weeks after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced that Colorado’s syphilis and congenital syphilis cases have drastically increased, causing a public health order to be issued declaring the epidemic. CDPHE also shared data in April about the fourth quarter of 2023, showing that between the third quarter and fourth quarter, STI reports increased.

Chlamydia reports rose from 13,561 statewide to 26,459; Gonorrhea rose from 3,802 cases statewide to 7,693; additionally, for all stages of syphilis, cases rose from 1,588 to 3,266 cases between the two quarters.

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