The Case for Harm Reduction

Harm reduction services ― naloxone access, testing equipment access, syringe service programs (SSP) ― are evidenced-based interventions that help many who use substances stay alive, improve their health, and find their way to treatment and recovery. Harm reduction services are often misunderstood and stigmatized, and evidence of their efficacy is largely unheard.

At a time when we have witnessed more than 93,000 drug overdoses, nationwide access to harm reduction services is inconsistent and aspirational. In fact, some communities are contemplating, or taking, actions that would close existing harm reduction services and prohibit new programs from opening. Mathematical modeling indicates that permanent closure of SSPs in Scott County, Indiana, would lead to a 55% increase in new HIV infections over the next five years. In this moment, it is imperative that we consider all options, including harm reduction services, to stem, and reverse, the ever rising tide of overdose deaths.

This session will define the scope of harm reduction services; offer evidence of their impact, including the impact of closure of existing SSPs; and identify federal, state and local laws that impact access to harm reduction services including a review of existing laws that protect access to healthcare, including harm reduction services. Presenters also will offer model laws that can be advanced to protect harm reduction services.