Life-Saving Medication Now Available at Five Locations Across Muskegon Area

MUSKEGON, Mich. — Muskegon County officials and Trinity Health have launched a new initiative to combat the county's opioid overdose crisis by installing free Narcan vending machines at five locations across the region.

The Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose, is now available at no cost to individuals who need it. The vending machines are stocked with the medication and maintained by each individual location.

New Vending Machine Locations

The five new Narcan vending machines are available during normal operating hours at:

• Trinity Health Medical Center – Hackley (1675 Leahy Street, Muskegon)
• Trinity Health North Muskegon (2006 Holton Road, Muskegon)
• Trinity Health Urgent Care (1670 East Sherman Boulevard, Muskegon)
• Trinity Health Lakes Village (6401 Prairie Street, Norton Shores)
• Muskegon County Marquette Campus, Public Health (1903 Marquette Avenue, Muskegon)

A Proactive Approach to Public Health

Michelle Gravlin, director of community health and well-being for Trinity Health Lakeshore, emphasized the importance of making the medication readily available.

"Every second matters during an overdose, and this will remove barriers to care by putting lifesaving medication directly into the hands of the people who need it, exactly when they need it."

The vending machines, which resemble old newspaper boxes, allow people to grab as many boxes of Narcan as they want and encourage sharing with family members and friends who may need it.

The Opioid Crisis in Muskegon

Opioids are a class of drugs typically used to treat pain. They are highly addictive and include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl.

According to state data, the overall overdose death rate in Muskegon County was 29.3 per 100,000 people in 2024, or 52 total deaths. This is significantly higher than the state average of 19.1 per 100,000.

The county peaked at 71 accidental opioid overdoses in 2023, but the number has decreased in the years since.

The rate of fatal overdoses in 2024 for Muskegon County residents aged 35 to 44 was 79.3, nearly double the state rate of that same age group at 39.4.

In 2024, 54 people died of drug-related means in Muskegon County, with 38 of those deaths involving opioids. That number is down significantly from 2023 when 86 deaths were drug related, 67 of which were opioid related.

Black individuals made up the highest rate at 58.1, followed by non-Hispanic and white individuals. There were 15 drug-related accidental deaths during the first six months of 2025, according to a report from the office of the medical examiner.

Reducing Stigma and Saving Lives

Gravlin said she hopes that more people in the community having Narcan on hand will reduce the overall stigma and encourage people to seek support.

"Somebody who uses Narcan and then is able to survive an event and get connected to EMS and to the healthcare, that can then just cascade a whole set of options – now they're alive to have those conversations about counseling or ongoing recovery support."

Gravlin added that having community members with Narcan available helps reduce stigma.

"Somebody I don't even know, not an ambulance driver, just had this and gave this to me to help me."

How to Use Narcan

If you find someone who is unresponsive, not breathing and who may have overdosed on opioids, first contact 911.

Then tip the person's head back and spray the Narcan up one nostril. Stay with the person and provide support until EMS arrives. If available, give a second dose two or three minutes later.

Gravlin noted that even if there is not an opioid present in the patient's system, the Narcan is not going to cause harm to the patient.

Narcan Available at Other Locations

Narcan kits are also available at these other Trinity Health locations in West Michigan:

• Trinity Health Medical Center – Norton Shores (3570 Henry Street)
• Trinity Health Wege Medical Center (300 Lafayette Avenue SE, Grand Rapids)
• Trinity Health Medical Center – Rockford (6050 Northland Drive NE)
• Trinity Health Medical Center – Byron Center (2373 64th Street SW)
• Trinity Health Grand Rapids Main Lobby (200 Jefferson Avenue SE)

All Kent County locations also recently added fentanyl testing strips to the vending machines. Fentanyl is a highly dangerous synthetic opioid found in many street drugs and has been the primary driver for a rise in opioid overdose deaths across the United States.

Opioid Overdoses on Decline Statewide

Overdose deaths have been on the decline in Michigan, with the state Department of Health and Human Services reporting a 34% reduction between 2023 and 2024. Still, more than 1,300 people died of opioid overdoses across the state in 2024.

Looking Ahead

Gravlin said officials will monitor the usage of the Narcan vending machines and consider expanding the program to additional locations if it proves successful in getting the life-saving medication into the hands of those who need it.

"We will be looking as well to partner with Muskegon Public Health to continue to educate our community about not only the availability, but why Narcan is so important in reducing mortality and death, and really working to reduce the stigma of addiction and just start encouraging open conversations about substance use and mental health in Muskegon County."

Sources:

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/muskegon-county-launches-more-free-174629471.html
• https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2026/04/how-muskegon-county-hopes-to-help-address-above-average-drug-overdose-rate.html
• https://nationaltoday.com/us/mi/muskegon/news/2026/04/07/muskegon-county-expands-free-narcan-access-to-fight-overdoses/