“On September 14, 2023, DAP Health unveiled an innovative vending machine that dispenses free harm reduction materials to interested parties. Located inside Hunters Nightclub on Arenas Road in Palm Springs, it’s the first of its kind in the Coachella Valley. Similar dispensers have recently popped up in other parts of California, as well as in other states. New York City debuted its first such machine in Brooklyn last June.
“The impetus behind making this vending machine available to desert residents is all about expanding access to life-saving tools,” says DAP Health Chief of Community Health C.J. Tobe. “It extends the reach of our harm reduction program team, which has worked in the field, as well as out of our Palm Springs headquarters, since 2022. It’s all about bridging gaps and building trust so that we can bring more vulnerable people into care — and into recovery if that’s something that appeals to them.”
To provide information to interested community members — and to actively listen to their concerns and answer their questions — members of DAP Health’s harm reduction team hosted a Raw Talk at Hunters last June. Panelists included DAP Health Harm Reduction Supervisor Neil Gussardo and Peer Support Specialist Hans Kowall, as well as Palm Springs Fire Chief Nathan Gunkel and members of the Palm Springs Police Department. The panel was moderated by popular local drag personality Rusty Waters…”
