Project Grant H79FG001077

COMMUNITY HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH PROJECT - BEEBE HEALTHCARE IS DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE THAT INCLUDES A TARGETED COMMUNITY HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH PROJECT THAT WILL ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES OF INCREASED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDER (COD) NEEDS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES OF PREVENTION, TREATMENT, RECOVERY SUPPORT AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE. WHEN INTEGRATED AS PART OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, HARM REDUCTION IS AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIC INVOLVING SUBSTANCE USE AS WELL AS INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND OTHER HARMS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG US AND IS A KEY COMPONENT OF ANY MULTI-FACETED OVERDOSE PREVENTION STRATEGY. THE PROJECT WILL WEAVE NALOXONE TRAINING, INTEGRATED TREATMENT FOR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER/RECOVERY PEER SPECIALIST INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND PROMOTE QUALITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES, AND ULTIMATELY REDUCE PERSISTENT DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, HARM REDUCTION, TREATMENT, AND RECOVERY OUTCOMES FOR UNDER-RESOURCED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN OUR SUSSEX COUNTY, DE COMMUNITIES. HARM REDUCTION IS A PROACTIVE AND EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE PERSONAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS OF BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AT BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY LEVELS. HARM REDUCTION PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN PREVENTING DRUG-RELATED DEATHS AND OFFERING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND TREATMENT. THIS RESULTS IN A REDUCTION OF OVERDOSE FATALITIES, ACUTE LIFE-THREATENING INFECTIONS RELATED TO UNSTERILE DRUG INJECTION, AND CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/HCV. HARM REDUCTION IS AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIC INVOLVING SUBSTANCE USE AS WELL AS INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND OTHER HARMS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE. SPECIFICALLY, HARM REDUCTION SERVICES CAN: - CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO OVERDOSE EDUCATION, COUNSELING, AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. - DISTRIBUTE OPIOID OVERDOSE REVERSAL MEDICATIONS (E.G., NALOXONE) TO INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF OVERDOSE, OR TO THOSE WHO MIGHT RESPOND TO AN OVERDOSE. - LESSEN HARMS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE AND RELATED BEHAVIORS THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INCLUDING HIV, VIRAL HEPATITIS, AND BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL INFECTIONS. - REDUCE INFECTIOUS DISEASE TRANSMISSION AMONG PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO INJECT DRUGS BY EQUIPPING THEM WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION AND FACILITATING REFERRAL TO RESOURCES. - REDUCE OVERDOSE DEATHS, PROMOTE LINKAGES TO CARE, FACILITATE CO-LOCATION OF SERVICES AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED APPROACH. - REDUCE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE USE AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS - PROMOTE A PHILOSOPHY OF HOPE AND HEALING BY UTILIZING THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF RECOVERY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, AND CONNECTING THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST TO TREATMENT, PEER SUPPORT WORKERS AND OTHER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL BE CONDUCTED BY BEEBE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PHYSICIANS CREDENTIALED AND EXPERIENCED IN DELIVERING SUD/COD PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES, IN CONCERT WITH CERTIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHW) AND CERTIFIED RECOVERY PEER SPECIALISTS (CRPS). THE PROJECT WILL OPERATE FROM OUR MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC (OUTPATIENT) SETTING TO INCREASE AND EXPAND THE REACH OF SERVICE PROVISION, AND BETTER ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND OTHER BARRIERS TO TREATMENT RECEIPT. PROVIDING EDUCATION AND PROMOTING EARLY INTERVENTION ARE ALSO CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT BOTH MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE UNDERSTOOD BY ALL FACTIONS AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ADDRESSED ACCORDINGLY. BEEBE'S COMMUNITY HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO SERVE OVER 500 (UNDUPLICATED) INDIVIDUALS IN ITS GRANT PERFORMANCE YEAR STARTING 9/30/23 AND ENDING 9/29/24.