Free sexual health vending machine arrives on campus

A free sexual health vending machine is now available on Central Michigan University’s campus. Soft launched on Monday, Sept. 28 and located in the Bovee University Center, students can access the vending machine for free during times the building is open.

Offered in the vending machine are hygiene kits, Narcan kits that also include a CPR kit, menstrual products, pregnancy tests, fentanyl testing strips, internal and external condoms, lubricant, dental dams, Plan B and more.

Emma Buschlen, senior CMU student majoring in environmental health and safety, has always had a passion for sexual health and destigmatizing the conversation surrounding the products.

“Prevention is so much better than reaction,” said Buschlen. “By us having this vending machine on campus, CMU is taking a preventative approach to protect ourselves and our students from sexual health things.”

“To be a great student, to have a like great experience on campus, you need to take care of yourself first and address your healthcare needs,” said Harsna Chahal, a junior CMU medical student.

Chahal and Buchlen met through the RSO Sexual Health Empowerment and started to work to bring a free sexual health vending machine to campus.

They then went to the Director of the Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center, Symantha Dattilo, who was willing to help. The volunteer center manages the safer sex program on campus. Dattilo said it was a perfect fit to work together on the project.

“Students are a vulnerable population,” said Chahal. “I mean, we don’t have like a genuine income. Some do, some don’t. And to have these expenses, it’s just an extra burden, same with menstrual products.”

Chahal said that part of what motivated her was that Plan B could be someone’s utility money.

An analysis doneby Poverty Solutions through the University of Michigan showed nearly 40% of Michiganders struggle to afford basic needs, with 13% living in poverty.

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential created a task force of professionals to explore how insecurities with basic needs affect Michigan’s college students.

That study found that 20% of college students experienced low food security and 44% of students experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

“There are a whole lot of things that make college really hard for students. But being able to have access to cover your basic needs should not be the thing that makes college harder,” said Dattilo.

Dattilo said the vending machine is an extension of the food pantry and the initiative to be able to help provide students with basic needs, which includes health care.

The initiative has been brought to CMU in the past, but it was previously denied.

“I really think the difference here was that student voice component and really the passion that Emma and Harsna brought to the project,” said Datillo.

Buschlen said she spent weeks working on a pitch to bring to campus stakeholders, including resident hall directors, campus risk management, campus reference safety and facilities management.

“Although we had some administrational barriers, they’re still very receptive to work with us,” Chahal said.

What if a student uses the product wrong? Is CMU encouraging students to engage in sexual relations with this product on campus? By providing Narcan, is CMU encouraging students to do drugs? Buschlen said these were all valid questions brought up by risk management, which was one of the biggest hurdles.

“The answer to all of those is no, we’re not encouraging anything. We are simply providing the resources for students, so they can make their own informed decisions safely,” Buschlen said.

She said there is also an education component with the start of the vending machine. Narcan administration workshops are currently being planned by the group to bring to CMU students.

“It’s recognizing that the work is not done here and we’re really excited to be able to empower students with education as well as resources,” Chahal said.

The vending machine was free from CMU after it was abandoned and given to the volunteer center for the project.

“We ended up rewrapping it, reprogramming it, and then from there, I worked with Harsna to fill out a ton of grants,” Buschlen said.

All of the products in the vending machine were donated almost free of cost, Dattilo said. Through grant funding and partnerships with the Health Department and companies such as Plan B, CMU will be able to continue providing the vending machine for years to come.

“It starts and ends with student advocacy, so as long as students continue to want to use this re