At Burnsville's Burnhaven Library, the newest attraction is not a bestseller or a book club. Tucked inside the building is a harm reduction vending machine that quietly hands out free naloxone (Narcan), fentanyl and xylazine test strips, plus basic care kits with socks, snacks and hygiene items. The city rolled out the news on Thursday in a short reel on Facebook and said the unit was paid for with opioid settlement dollars. City officials and nonprofit partners are pitching it as a low barrier way for people to grab life saving supplies without a lot of questions.
What’s in the machine
According to the City of Burnsville's public safety page, the vending unit dispenses free naloxone, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, plus "basic care kits" that include toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks and snacks, as noted by the City of Burnsville. Several items in those care kits were donated by Faith Covenant Church. The city has also shared video of the vending machine and its shelves of supplies at Burnhaven Library in the same Facebook reel announcing the program.
How it’s paid for
Burnsville says the vending machine was purchased with opioid settlement funds. The Minnesota Attorney General's distribution table lists Burnsville's share at roughly $1.14 million, money that local governments can use for treatment, harm reduction and prevention efforts, according to the Minnesota Attorney General. Dakota County also details how its settlement dollars are being pushed into local work, including naloxone access and outreach programs.
Not the first around here
Burnsville's new machine is part of a wider Twin Cities shift to put naloxone and testing supplies where people can get them fast. Minneapolis installed Narcan vending machines at fire stations last year that have already dispensed more than 2,200 free Narcan boxes. Colleges and nonprofits are in the mix too. Normandale Community College lists a health items vending machine on campus that includes free naloxone and test strips, and the Steve Rummler HOPE Network runs a network of Naloxone Access Points across Minnesota.
Training and outreach
Supplies are only part of the strategy. Dakota County and local partners continue to offer free naloxone trainings and community workshops, including a Burnhaven Library session scheduled for March 14, listed by Dakota County Public Health. Advocates say pairing easy access to Narcan with basic training improves the odds that a bystander will be ready to step in during an overdose.
City officials are urging residents to use both the vending machine and the free trainings, and they point people to the City of Burnsville public safety page for more details and links to local services. For broader resource lists and program maps, the Steve Rummler HOPE Network and Dakota County Public Health both maintain information on naloxone access and harm reduction services across the region.
