Project Grant H79SP082989

VICTORY PROGRAMS HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM - VICTORY PROGRAMS, A BOSTON-AREA NONPROFIT SERVING 3,800 HOMELESS OR PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS WITH HOUSING, HEALTH, PREVENTION, AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS, IS LAUNCHING THE VICTORY CONNECTOR, A LOW-THRESHOLD DROP-IN CENTER DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO BOSTON'S SERVICE-RESISTANT, STREET-BASED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AT GREAT RISK FOR OPIOID OVERDOSE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE ACQUISITION. THE VICTORY CONNECTOR EXPANDS UPON FIVE YEARS OF EFFORTS BY THE AGENCY'S MOBILE PREVENTION TEAM BY CREATING A BRICK AND MORTAR SITE TO IMPLEMENT PERSON-CENTERED, COORDINATED INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE BASED IN RESEARCH AND RESPOND TO THE URGENT NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AT HIGH RISK. THIS SITE WILL BE LOCATED IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THE INTERSECTION OF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE AND MELNEA CASS BLVD., OFTEN REFERRED TO AS MASS. AND CASS, WHICH, SINCE 2014, HAS BEEN A MAGNET FOR A GROWING HOMELESS POPULATION AND THE EPICENTER OF BOSTON'S OPIOID EPIDEMIC. UTILIZING A WIDE ARRAY OF EVIDENCE-BASED HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, THE VICTORY CONNECTOR WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 400 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS IN YEAR 1 (GROWING TO 500 IN YEAR 2 AND 600 IN YEAR 3). WITH THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF SUPPORTING AND STABILIZING INDIVIDUALS TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND, ULTIMATELY, EXIT STREET LIFE, THE PROJECT WILL ENGAGE PEOPLE OVER THE LONG TERM TO ENSURE ACCESS TO RECOVERY AND TREATMENT SUPPORT; ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES ON A PERSONALIZED PLAN, AND; ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES. PRIORITY POPULATIONS WHICH FACE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DISPARITIES WILL BE RACIAL MINORITIES, AND LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS. DATA GATHERED IN SEPTEMBER 2021 SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION AT MASS. AND CASS REFLECT THE FOLLOWING DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY PERTINENT TO OUR APPLICATION FOR FUNDING: - 39% ARE HISPANIC/LATINO, 36% ARE WHITE, 19% ARE BLACK, AND 6% ARE MULTIRACIAL; - 49% LACK A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER; 78% DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, BUT A MAJORITY WANT ACCESS TO ONE. - 87% USE COCAINE OR CRACK COCAINE, 76% USE OPIATES, AND 20% METHAMPHETAMINES. IN ADDITION TO BASIC NEEDS (E.G. BATHROOMS, PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, HYDRATION), THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE SAMHSA AND CDC SUPPORTED EVIDENCE-BASED HARM REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS INCLUDING COMPREHENSIVE SYRINGE SERVICES, DISTRIBUTION OF NALOXONE, SUBSTANCE TEST KITS, AND SAFER SEX SUPPLIES, REFERRAL TO MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT AND MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER, AND INDIVIDUAL GROUP PEER SUPPORT SERVICES. THE VICTORY CONNECTOR WILL ALSO OFFER CASE MANAGEMENT AND NAVIGATION SERVICES, INCLUDING BOTH BASIC AND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT; INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLANNING; AND REFERRAL TO NEEDED SERVICES (E.G., URGENT, EMERGENT AND PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE; MENTAL HEALTH CARE; SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES; BENEFITS; HOUSING SERVICES; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES; LEGAL SERVICES, ETC.). IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING OVER 1,500 SERVICE ENCOUNTERS OVER THREE YEARS, WE ESTIMATE 1,200 REFERRALS TO SERVICES AND 900 LINKAGES TO SERVICES OVER THE COURSE OF SAMHSA'S GRANT PERIOD. JUST A FEW OF THE MEASUREABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 25% OF INDIVIDUALS ENTERING THE CONNECTOR WILL RECEIVE INTEGRATED TESTING AND 100% OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL RECEIVE A COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENT; 100% OF INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN SYRINGE SERVICES WILL BE EDUCATED IN SUBSTANCE USE RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES; 75% OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH NALOXONE AND EDUCATED IN ITS USE, AND; 25% WILL PARTICIPATE IN INDIVIDUAL AND/OR GROUP PEER SUPPORT SERVICES.