Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) will soon mark one year of helping coordinate the distribution of naloxone—the opioid overdose reversal medication, often known by the brand name Narcan—through vending machines at key Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) stations. This innovative effort is helping save lives and contributing to a dramatic decline in opioid overdose deaths across Chicago.
Following the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Narcan for non-prescription use in 2023, opioid deaths decreased by 36% from 2023 to 2024, according to the most recent data from the Cook County Department of Public Health. Expanding free access to Narcan through these vending machines, combined with harm reduction education, promises to maintain that trend.
Since the program launched in September 2025, 5,739 boxes of naloxone have been distributed at four CTA stations.
“The most meaningful part of this outreach has been the overwhelming response from CTA employees,” said Tanya Fisher, LSSI’s Outreach and Education Manager. “They witness crises every day and want to know how to help. With training, we’re giving them the knowledge and confidence to act in an emergency while connecting both them and community members to a broader network of support.”
Additionally, LSSI joins other human service organizations in offering regular information sessions at CTA stations on mental health care, substance use treatment, housing assistance, access to benefits, food assistance, and more. “By bringing a network of community organizations together where people live, work, and travel, we transform a train station into an ecosystem of support,” said Fisher.
The impact of this work continues to grow. The CTA Board recently approved a five-year expansion to six additional stations.
“This outreach is a perfect example of our GenCare approach to delivering services,” said Fisher. “We’re engaging, surrounding, and connecting people to the supports they need to move forward, while promoting their dignity, and enhancing their health and well-being.”
