Communities are at the center of the overdose crisis, and deserve a harm reduction public health response. Community investment in harm reduction helps to strengthen services across geographies and demographics.
How we work
Invest in innovations in harm reduction services.
Dispensing machines stocked with harm reduction supplies in community-based locations in New Haven, and in the Louisville detention center.
Drug checking services for people who are using drugs, including in New Mexico and North Carolina
Harm reduction programs reaching sex workers, including in Philadelphia, New Haven, and Detroit.
Rural community advisory board of people who use drugs to inform projects, initiatives, and policy in Kentucky.
Support harm reduction for BIPOC communities by funding BIPOC-led work.
Funding community grants to BIPOC-led groups for harm reduction services reaching BIPOC communities, including in Philadelphia, southeast Michigan, and across New Jersey.
Establishing a fellowship with Students for Sensible Drug Policy for BIPOC youth leaders to promote harm reduction in North Carolina.
Establishing a community harm reduction working group in Milwaukee to identify overdose prevention strategies for local Black neighborhoods and present recommendations to policy-makers.
Promote community investments in harm reduction services to increase local support.
Funding grants for harm reduction services to county coalitions in Pennsylvania, for syringe services programs to community foundations in Michigan, and for naloxone distribution and syringe services programs to county governments for matching opioid settlement dollars in North Carolina.
Supporting harm reduction community outreach and syringe services program implementation and expansion everywhere.
Produce media campaigns that center people who use drugs with dignity, to reduce stigma and promote harm reduction services
Campaign with Michigan DHHS to raise awareness about harm reduction and expanded services across the state: “change at your own pace”
Campaign with Pennsylvania DOH to raise awareness about naloxone and how to get it: “be ready”
Campaign in New Jersey to share facts about syringe services programs: “Keep New Jersey Healthy”
National campaign to “Support Harm Reduction,” featuring an interactive digital overdose memorial
Spotlight
Traveling national Overdose Memorial at Newark Public Library
Vital Strategies, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, advocates from Newark Community Street Team and the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition unveiled the first installation of a traveling national Overdose Memorial at Newark Public Library.The digital display commemorates lives lost to overdose, which reached an all-time high of 107,000 in 2021, and urges support for harm reduction services.
Traveling national Overdose Memorial at Newark Public Library
Community members gathered at the Newark Library for the overdose memorial unveiling.
Vital Strategies, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, advocates from Newark Community Street Team and the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition unveiled the first installation of a traveling national Overdose Memorial at Newark Public Library.The digital display commemorates lives lost to overdose, which reached an all-time high of 107,000 in 2021, and urges support for harm reduction services.
The Newark overdose memorial is part of the “Support Harm Reduction” campaign, the largest-ever national advertising initiative promoting harm reduction. You can upload a loved one to the memorial.
