Safe Storage with Locking Pill Bottles
OPEN partners with Safe Rx to provide locking pill bottles for an easy and safe medication storage option. Organizations can apply for free locking prescription bottles, in either a small or large size. OPEN will purchase the products and ship them directly to the awardees. Priority is given to clinics/pharmacies/residential treatment programs that are direct dispensing medications or providing bottles to patients.
Each vial comes pre-programmed with a unique 4-digit code that is used to lock and unlock the vial. Small vials are great for direct dispensing by pharmacists, measuring 1.5” in diameter and 4.5” tall. This allows the label to be placed on the outside of the small locking prescription vial, making identification of medications easy for patients. Large vials are ideal for distribution to patients with existing medications. A large vial can typically fit an entire prescription bottle inside and measures 2” in diameter and 5.4” tall. The large vial also provides added privacy, since the label can remain on the inner bottle. Check out this video for more information on how to use locking prescription vials.
NOTE: Thank you for a positive response to this program! We hear you on the need for programs like this in the community. In order to better meet demand and practice OPEN’s value of health equity, applications for this program will now be reviewed biannually. Apply between July 1st and December 31st, 2024 to be considered for OPEN’s Spring 2025 program awardees. Accepted applications will be notified in March 2025.
| Award Opportunity | -Up to 250 Safe Rx locking prescription vials. -Choose a small or large vial size. |
| Eligibility Requirements | -Awardees must be based in Michigan. -Two staff contacts per site. -Commitment to completion of a brief program evaluation survey. |
| Application Opens | July 1, 2024 |
| Application Closes | December 31, 2024 |
| Notification of Award | March 2025 |
Application and Survey
- Organization name
- Organization address
- Organization County
- Name, title, email of project lead
- Name, title, email of second project person
- Why is it important for your organization to distribute locking prescription vials? What unmet needs will this opportunity help address?
- What existing structures does your organization have in place to encourage safe medication storage?
- Educational materials
- Safe storage products
- Other [write-in]
- Please describe your plan for distributing locking prescription vials.
- Distribution at community events
- Direct dispense through pharmacy
- Distribution to patients in clinics
- Other [write-in]
- How many Safe Rx locking prescription vials are you requesting (up to 250)?
- What size locking prescription vial are you requesting?
- Small- 1.5” in diameter and 4.5” tall
- Large- 2” in diameter and 5.4” tall
- Acknowledgements:
- Our organization’s mission is to provide care and prevent harm to patients. We will use the safe storage products and resources provided for this purpose only.
- Our organization will commit to completing the program evaluation survey.
3-Month Program Evaluation Survey-
- Organization name
- Organization address
- Name, title, email of project lead
- Name, title, email of second project person
Vials:
- How many locking prescription vials has your organization distributed so far?
- [free text]
- What types of recipients were locking prescription vials distributed to?
- Patients who received opioids (not including MOUD)
- Patients who received MOUD prescriptions
- Patients who received controlled substances
- Patients who received any prescription
- Other [write in]
- What strategies for distributing the locking prescription vials did you implement?
- Distribution at community events
- Direct dispense through pharmacy
- Distribution to patients in clinics
- Other [write in]
- What worked well during the distribution of vials?
- [free text]
- What challenges or barriers did you face in distributing vials?
- [free text]
Other:
- Program and/or partnership feedback:
Do we have to distribute all of the storage products before submitting the program evaluation survey?
No. We hope that the products get used promptly but it is not required to complete distribution by the end of the project period.
If we distribute all of the storage products, can we request more?
Yes! Please submit the application a second time to request additional storage products. Determination on the second round of funding will be made on a case-by-case basis.